US consumer confidence index falls to 95.2 in April

Washington: The Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence unexpectedly decreased to 95.2 in April from 101.4 a month earlier, the New York-based private research group said Tuesday.

The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 77 economists called for the gauge to climb to 102.2 after a previously reported 101.3 a month earlier. Estimates ranged from 99.5 to 105. The index averaged 96.9 during the last expansion and 53.7 during the 18-month recession that ended June 2009. Another report Tuesday showed home prices in 20 US cities appreciated at a faster pace than forecast in the year ended in February. The S&P/Case-Shiller index increased 5 per cent after rising 4.5 per cent in the 12 months through January. Nationally, prices climbed 4.2 per cent year over year.