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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica;">U.S. consumer sentiment  fell slightly in August to 53.5 points according to The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. One year ago the measure was 54.5 points.   The Present Situation Index fell half a point to 24.9 and the Expectations Index dropped to 72.5 points from 73.8 points in August 2009.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica;">Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said that the measure in August was slightly higher than the reading in July. "Consumers’ assessment of current conditions, however, was less favorable as employment concerns continue to weigh heavily on consumers’ attitudes. Expectations about future business and labor market conditions have brightened somewhat, but overall, consumers remain apprehensive about the future.  All in all, consumers are about as confident today as they were a year ago."</p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica;">The Conference Board found that U.S. consumer assessment of the labor market deteriorated further. Those saying jobs are “hard to get” increased to 45.7 percent from 45.1 percent in July, while those claiming jobs are “plentiful” declined to 3.8 percent from 4.4 percent one month ago.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica;">Consumers’ expectations improved moderately in August, but overall, they remain pessimistic. Those anticipating an improvement in business conditions six months out increased to 17 percent from 15.8 percent in July, while those anticipating conditions will worsen declined to 13.4 percent from 15.3 percent.</p>
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<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica;">Ref: <a href="http://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?ArticleID=32357" target="_blank">Diamonds.net</a></p>

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