Consumer Sentiment Rises in January

Ann Arbor, MI, January 18, 2008--One small bit of good news in the otherwise gloomy sea of economic events, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index added five points in January, according to the preliminary report.

The index came in at 80.5, the highest reading since last October. The gain was led by assessments of current conditions, which gained about twice as many points as expectations. Inflation expectations held about steady.