US consumers are showing signs of flagging after helping to prop up the world’s largest economy since the pandemic, according to a growing number of companies, economists and investors.

This week’s shaky start to the corporate earnings season has fuelled concerns that consumer strength has peaked, despite data on Thursday showing stronger than expected GDP growth in the second quarter, thanks in part to consumption spending.

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide Mutual, said she expected “consumers to rein in their spending as we head through the second half of this year” because “pandemic savings [are] depleted, lower income households increasingly maxed-out on credit and?.?.?.?employment growth will continue to cool”.