U.S. consumer sentiment improved slightly in late June from earlier in the month as gasoline prices ebbed, but confidence finished the month at its lowest since August 2006.
The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said its final June figure on consumer sentiment was 85.3, above a median forecast of 84.0 and the preliminary June reading of 83.7.
The Reuters/University of Michigan consumer index was 88.3 at the end of May. It read 82.0 in August 2006.
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Consumer sentiment has been seen as a proxy on future consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of the U.S. economy. This deterioration in consumer mood seemed to be reflected in recent weekly retail sales data.
While subsiding from their record peak in May, gasoline prices remain elevated, pinching the finances of households of all income levels, according to the latest survey.
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The survey's gauge of current consumer conditions was 101.9 in late June, above the preliminary June reading of 100.2 but below the final May reading of 105.1.
The final June figure on consumer expectations was 74.7, above the earlier June figure of 73.0 but below May's final 77.6.
The survey's one-year inflation index finished at 3.4 percent in June, the highest in 10 months, from 3.3 percent in late May. The five-year inflation index, however, dipped to 2.9 percent at the end of June from 3.1 percent at the end of May.














