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Investing.com -- Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) stock declined 5.5% as consumer finance companies faced selling pressure amid growing concerns about credit quality and deteriorating consumer confidence.
The selloff extended to other consumer finance firms, with Affirm Holdings (NASDAQ:AFRM) dropping 5% and Synchrony Financial (NYSE:SYF) falling 3%. Investors are increasingly worried about the financial health of lower-income consumers following several negative data points in recent weeks.
According to Vital Knowledge’s Adam Crisafulli, a "sudden spike in concern about low-end consumer credit quality" is driving the sector’s decline. This anxiety stems from "a steady drumbeat of negative data points over the last couple of weeks, including CarMax, First Brands, and Tricolor," Crisafulli noted in a mid-day market report.
The negative sentiment was further reinforced by Tuesday’s Conference Board report showing U.S. consumer confidence fell to a five-month low in September. The confidence gauge decreased 3.6 points to 94.2, reflecting growing concerns about job prospects and the broader economic outlook.
These developments have prompted investors to reassess their exposure to companies with significant lending operations to consumers, particularly those serving lower-income segments that might be more vulnerable to economic stress.
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