Confidence Is Eroding Among U.S. Factories, Consumers, Economic Data Show

Manufacturing in the Philadelphia region unexpectedly contracted in June and Americans' views on the economy's outlook soured, signaling an erosion of confidence in the expansion.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's general economic index fell to minus 7.7, the lowest since July 2009, from 3.9 the prior month. Readings less than zero signal contraction. The Bloomberg gauge of economic expectations slumped to minus 31 this month, the weakest since March 2009, from minus 16.