US Consumer Sentiment Drops to Second Lowest Level on Record

The evidence overwhelmingly supports the statement. The most direct and specific support comes from a high-authority CNBC article, which explicitly states that the consumer sentiment reading was the "second lowest going back to at least 1978." This claim is strongly corroborated by multiple other credible news outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, and Morningstar, all of which report that the index has fallen to a "near-record low." The primary sources of the data, the University of Michigan survey (via ICPSR) and its reporting on platforms like FRED and Investing.com, are consistently cited, confirming the legitimacy of the data being discussed. There are no contradictions among the provided sources; all point to a historically significant drop in consumer sentiment. The convergence of a direct, specific claim from a reliable source with broad, consistent corroboration from other reputable sources provides high confidence in the statement's truthfulness.