UM Consumer Sentiment Rises Mid-August For a Surprising Reason

The consumer indexes maintained by the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers improved in the mid-September reading. The Consumer Sentiment Index, which has been stagnating at recession levels since it plunged in March and April, rose surprisingly to 78.9 mid-September, from 74.1 in the final August reading. And Senior Economist Richard Curtin reported it was…