USA Consumer Sentiment At 3-Month High

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USA Consumer Sentiment: Thomson Reuters / University of Michigan

Consumer sentiment at three-month high in early August

(Reuters) - Consumer sentiment improved in early August to its highest level in three months as sales at retailers and low mortgage rates spurred Americans to boost their buying plans, a survey released on Friday showed.

But concerns about rising food prices caused a jump in both short- and long-term inflation expectations, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey showed.

The preliminary reading on the index on consumer sentiment rose to its highest level since May at 73.6 from 72.3 last month, topping economists' forecasts for a slight uptick to 72.4.

"Although the growth rate in personal consumption expenditures can be expected to rebound from the second quarter lull, growth can be expected to remain just under two percent to the end of the first quarter of 2013," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement.

USA Consumer Sentiment by Month

USA Consumer Sentiment by Year

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