Consumer Sentiment Falls in August

Ann Arbor, MI, Aug. 12, 2011 --  Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan gauge of consumer sentiment fell from 63.7 in July to 54.9 in August, the lowest level since May of 1980 July.

Stocks were highly volatile during the survey period for the preliminary August reading.

The sentiment reading averaged about 87 in the year before the start of the most recent recession.