Consumer confidence in the US has taken a significant hit – falling by the largest level in more than three years. The consumer confidence index plummeted to 98.7 in September, down from 105.6 in August, marking the largest one-month decline since August 2021, the Conference Board reported. This sharp drop surpassed economists’ expectations, with the Dow Jones consensus forecast predicting a reading of 104. The fall in consumer sentiment reflects growing concerns about jobs and business conditions, signalling potential challenges for the economy in the coming months ahead of the presidential e…