2026 has been the worst year for consumer sentiment on record, going back to 1952.

Judged as of 2026-11-03 against the University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment, whose records go back to 1952. True: the average of 2026's monthly readings published by that date is lower than the annual average of every earlier calendar year on record. Mostly true: 2026's average is lowest on record, with only a minor caveat (for example, it is lowest only once that month's preliminary reading is included). Mostly false: 2026 is not the lowest year on average, but it set a record-low monthly reading or ranks near the bottom (within the three lowest years). False: 2026's average is not among the three lowest years and it set no record monthly low.

Set before the research began.

1. E1 Michigan Economic Indicators - May 2026 Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency · 4 October 2026

   “Consumer sentiment in May 2026 was the lowest value recorded since the survey began in November 1952”

2. E2 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) · 23 October 2026

   “| 2026-05-01 | 44.8 |”

3. E3 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) · 23 October 2026

   “| Date Range | 1952-11-01 to 2026-09-01 |”

4. E4 Michael Burry says it’s ‘useless’ to grade his recent market calls — and we should ‘cut ourselves some slack’ in 2026 Yahoo Finance · 4 November 2026

   “"2026 has been the worst year for consumer sentiment on record, going back to 1952," he wrote, likely referring to the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index”

5. E5 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series UMCSENT, source: University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers) · 23 October 2026

   “| 2026-05-01 | 44.8 |”

6. E6 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series UMCSENT, source: University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers) · 23 October 2026

   “| 2022-06-01 | 50 |”

7. E7 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series UMCSENT, source: University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers) · 23 October 2026

   “| Date Range | 1952-11-01 to 2026-09-01 |”

8. E8 Table Data - University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series UMCSENT, source: University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers) · 23 October 2026

   “| 1980-05-01 | 51.7 |”

9. E9 University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment (UMCSENT) | FRED | St. Louis Fed FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis · 23 October 2026

   “May 2026: 44.8”

10. E10 Final Results for October 2026 University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers

    “Index of Consumer Sentiment | 48.0 | 48.1 | 53.6 | -0.2% | -10.4%”

11. E11 Final Results for October 2026 University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers

    “Sentiment is now 10% below a year ago and 15% less than February, just prior to the Iran conflict.”

E1 and E2/E9 show that May 2026's University of Michigan sentiment reading of 44.8 was the lowest since the survey began in November 1952, so 2026 set a record monthly low. E10 and E11 give October 2026 at about 48.0, 10% below a year earlier. However, no source gives the full set of 2026 monthly readings or the annual averages of earlier years, such as 2022 or 1980, so the main test cannot be applied: whether 2026's average is below every earlier year's. The record monthly low means the claim cannot be fully false, but the evidence cannot tell apart the true, mostly-true and mostly-false outcomes.