Americans are growing more worried about the Iran war’s economic effects

Americans are growing more pessimistic about the US economy as the war on Iran continues to roil markets, with sentiment falling across all income groups — including the wealthiest.

Consumer sentiment declined 6% this month to a final reading of 53.3, the University of Michigan said Friday, a steeper drop than the one reported earlier this month, when the war had just started. Sentiment is now at its lowest point since December. Friday’s level was lower than the 54.2 reading that economists projected in a poll by data firm FactSet.

The Middle East conflict