US consumer confidence unexpectedly improves in April

WASHINGTON: US consumer confidence unexpectedly ticked up in April as a ceasefire in the war with Iran boosted stock prices while labor market perceptions ‌improved, a ⁠survey ⁠showed on Tuesday.

The Conference Board ​said its consumer confidence index climbed 0.6 points ​to 92.8 this month. Data for March was revised higher ​to show the ⁠index at ‌92.2 instead of ​91.8. Economists ​polled by Reuters had ⁠forecast the index easing to 89.0. The ​improvement in confidence was ​despite worries about higher gasoline prices.

"Consumers' write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism in ‌April," said Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board.


"Comments ​about ​prices, oil ⁠and gas and war increased in frequency compared to March, a likely ​signal of consumers' underlying worries about how the war in the Middle East will impact their pockets."