Confidence among U.S. consumers rose in September from the lowest level since November 2008 as Americans’ views of current economic conditions improved.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment climbed to 57.8 this month from 55.7 in August. The median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a reading of 57. The group’s measure of consumer expectations six months from now dropped to the lowest level since May 1980.
The Michigan survey’s index of current conditions, which reflects Americans’ perceptions of their financial situation and whether it is a good time to buy big-ticket items like cars, increased to 74.5 from 68.7 the prior month.
This is very important to the housing industry because it it not interest rates but the consumer's outlook on the economy that drives demand for housing.
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