Coming Up: April Consumer Sentiment

Data on consumer sentiment for April are due for release at 9:55 a.m. from the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters. Economists polled by MarketWatch expect a preliminary April reading of 76.4, compared with a final level of 76.2 for March. While higher stock prices and employment gains have cheered consumers this year, gas prices are up and conditions in Europe remain a concern. The sentiment gauge, which covers how consumers view their personal finances as well as business and buying conditions, averaged about 87 in the year before the most recent recession. Economists watch sentiment data to get a feel for the direction of consumer spending.

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