The University of Michigan’s final June reading rose to 49.5 from 44.8 in May, topping economists’ expectation of 49 as moderating fuel prices lifted household mood.
US consumer sentiment improved in June as easing gasoline prices offered households some relief. The University of Michigan’s consumer-sentiment index rose to a final reading of 49.5 in June from 44.8 in May, above economists’ expectation of 49 in a Wall Street Journal poll. The gain points to a modest rebound in household mood from recent record lows, though sentiment remained weak overall.