Consumer Confidence Falls in June

New York, NY, June 30, 2009--The Conference Board's U.S. consumer confidence index fell in June to 49.3 from a downwardly revised 54.8 in May, the private business research group reported on Tuesday.

May's number was originally 54.9

Economists had forecast a reading of 55.0 for the June index.

Americans saying jobs are "hard to get" increased to 44.8 percent from 43.9 percent the previous month, while those saying jobs are "plentiful" slid to 4.5 percent from May's 5.8 percent.

"The decline in the Present Situation index, caused by a less favorable assessment of business conditions and employment, continues to imply that economic conditions, while not as weak as earlier, are nonetheless weak," said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board's Consumer Research Center.