Consumer Confidence Rises Again

Consumer confidence rose in January to the highest level in almost a year, according to the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index released Friday.

The final index for January rose to a reading of 75, from 69.9 in December. That was more than a preliminary 74 reading of two weeks ago.

The reading surpassed economists’ median forecast of a 74 reading, Bloomberg reported.

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