US debt hits $40 trillion; UK consumer confidence rises

US national debt reached $40 trillion for the first time, driven by spending under both Trump ($8.4tn) and Biden ($4.3tn). UK consumer confidence improved significantly in August across all measures: economy sentiment to -28 from -36, personal finances to -9 from -12, and retail spending to +8 from +1. USD weakness likely on debt concerns; GBP may strengthen on confidence data, though broader risk sentiment will drive major pairs.