NEW YORK, June 27 (UPI) -- U.S. consumer confidence has risen slightly this month, an industry group reported Tuesday.
The Conference Board said its index of consumer confidence, which includes data through June 20, rose from May's 104.7 to 105.7.
"The slight bounce-back in confidence this month was a result of the moderate improvement in consumers' expectations," said the board's Lynn Franco. "Despite the up-tick, consumers remain concerned about the short-term outlook. Furthermore, the Present Situation Index lost ground for the second consecutive month, a signal that the economy is shifting into lower gear heading into the second half of this year."
Consumers' overall assessment of current conditions, while favorable, declined for the second consecutive month. Those claiming conditions are "good" declined to 26.8 percent from 28.5 percent. Those claiming conditions are "bad" eased to 14.9 percent from 15.2 percent.
Labor market conditions were mixed. Consumers saying jobs are "plentiful" decreased to 28.1 percent from 29.1 percent, while those claiming jobs are "hard to get" decreased to 19.9 percent from 20.2 percent.
