The Conference
Board informed on Tuesday its U.S. consumer confidence index increased 1.4
points to 103.3 in August from an upwardly revised 101.9 (from 100.3) in July.
Economists had expected
the consumer confidence index to fall to 100.6.
The details of the
survey revealed that the August increase in the headline index was due to advances in both the present situation index (+1.3 points to 134.4
this month) and the expectations index (+1.4 points to 82.5).
Commenting on
the results of the last survey, Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist at The
Conference Board, noted that overall consumer confidence rose in August but
remained within the narrow range that has prevailed over the past two years. "Consumers
continued to express mixed feelings in August,” she said, adding that, compared
to July, they were more positive about business conditions - both current and
future - but also more concerned about the labour market.