Americans’ assessments of their personal finances sustained their third consecutive weekly loss and ratings of the national economy fell significantly for the first time since March this week, producing the largest three-week drop in the overall Consumer Comfort Index since the onset of the pandemic.

The decline comes as inflation accelerates by its most in 13 years, with prices in June growing 0.9 percent in a month and 5.4 percent year-over-year, both highs since mid-2008.

The CCI is down 4.7 points from its pandemic-era peak three weeks ago to 52.2 on its 0-100 scale, its largest three-week drop since May 2020, when economic sentiment was in sharp decline. The overall index has slid to its lowest since early April after gaining 22.2 points from its pandemic low last May. It’s now 10.8 points short of its pre-pandemic level.

The retrenchment is due primarily to worsening personal finance ratings, down 1.8 points this week and a sharp 6.0 points in three weeks, their largest such drop since April 2020. At 63.4, the subindex is its lowest since late March and 5.2 points off its pre-pandemic level, a swift reversal from its 16-month high in mid-June.

At a seven-week low of 48.2, Americans’ ratings of the national economy also are down, 2.9 points off their pandemic peak four weeks ago, including 1.5 points just this week. The CCI’s third gauge, based on ratings of whether or not it’s a good time to buy things, stabilized at 45.1 after falling 5.7 points in two weeks.

Notably, while economic sentiment has sustained significant losses, the overall CCI is high by historical standards, still 8.9 points better than its average in ongoing weekly data since December 1985.