"Disposable incomes of consumers are still being squeezed. That does make it difficult for consumption to accelerate from here"
- Jeremy Lawson, an economist at BNP Paribas in New York
U.S. consumer confidence deteriorated slightly in April. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary index of sentiment declined to 75.7 from 76.2 in March.
"There's less supporting an improvement in sentiment than there was a few months ago," said Jeremy Lawson, a senior U.S. economist at BNP Paribas in New York.
"Disposable incomes of consumers are still being squeezed. That does make it difficult for consumption to accelerate from here."
In a separate report, the Labor Department said the consumer price index rose 0.3 percent in March. Core prices (excluding food and gas) rose 0.2 per cent.
Prices are "benign and likely to stay that way for some time yet," said Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics.
© Dukascopy Bank