Consumer Confidence Improves In September

WASHINGTON - U.S. consumer confidence rose slightly in September and was just a shade below a postrecession high. The consumer confidence index increased to 103.0 from a revised 101.1 in August, the Conference Board said Tuesday. That's the highest leve since January, when consumer confidence touched an eight-year high. Economists polled by MarketWatch had projected the index to fall to 96.0, partly because of fresh worries about the health of the world economy. The present situation index, a measure of current conditions, also climbed to an eight-year high of 121.1 from 115.8. Yet the expectations index declined to 91.0 from 91.6, suggesting Americans are a bit more cautious about the next six months. "While consumers view current economic conditions more favorably, they do not foresee growth accelerating in the months ahead," said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at board.