Consumer Confidence Reverses Higher in March

New York, NY, March 30, 2010--U.S. consumer confidence recovered in March after falling sharply in February, the Conference Board said Tuesday.

The consumer confidence index rose to 52.5 in March from 46.4 in February. Confidence had fallen sharply from 56.5 in January.

Economists expected the index to rebound to 51.0 in March. The February confidence index was revised up from the initial estimate of 46.0.

The present situation index rose to 26.0 in March from 21.7, while the expectations index improved to 70.2 from 62.9.