Consumer Confidence Rises

Consumer confidence rose in February, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index released Friday.

The final index for February rose to a reading of 75.3, from 75 in January. That was more than a preliminary 72.5 reading of two weeks ago.

The reading surpassed economists’ median forecast of a 73 reading, Bloomberg reported.

The index averaged a reading of 89 in the five years leading up to the recession at the end of 2007.