Consumer confidence increases to 5-month high

Consumer confidence increases to 5-month high

Consumer confidence rose last weekto the highest level in five months as an improveing job market and falling gasoline prices buoyed holiday shoppers.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index climbed to minus 45 in the period that ended Dec. 18 from a reading of minus 49.9 the previous week. That marked the biggest seven-day gain since January. The monthly expectations gauge climbed to minus 17 for December, a seven-month high.

As seen in the Columbus Dispatch, Friday, December 23, 2011