Consumer sentiment continued to slide in September, falling to its lowest point since May, as tariffs seep into product prices and Americans start to spend more cautiously.

The University of Michigan's preliminary September sentiment index, released Friday, declined 4.8% to 55.4 from 58.2 in August.

"Consumers continue to note multiple vulnerabilities in the economy, with rising risks to business conditions, labor markets, and inflation. Likewise, consumers perceive risks to their pocketbooks as well," Joanne Hsu, director of the Surveys of Consumers at U. of Michigan, said in a statement.

Tariff policies are top of mind for many Americans, too, she said, noting that about 60% of consumers raised the topic in interviews.

Inflation expectations for the year remained steady at 4

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