Consumers Kick Off New Year Optimistically

Consumers report they are more optimistic, with sentiment numbers climbing to their highest level in more than two years, while Americans claim to be facing fewer financial difficulties than they did one year ago, according to the Consumer Reports Index for January 2011. The Consumer Reports Sentiment Index (48.7) is up from the prior month (45.1), from one year ago (44.1), and is at its highest level recorded since October 2008. Consumer Reports analysis indicates this is more of an increase than can be attributed to the typical improvement in public outlook at the beginning of the year and may signal a longer-lasting trend.
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