US consumer sentiment index falls to 92.9: survey

WASHINGTON - US consumer sentiment faded slightly in March, the University of Michigan reported Friday, saying its sentiment index fell to 92.9 in early March from 94.1 in February.
The index fell for the third straight month to the lowest reading since November. The index has been essentially flat for a year. Economists were expecting the index to rise to about 94.9.
The current conditions index fell to 107.3 in March from 109.2 in February. The expectations index fell to 83.6 in March from 84.4 in February. It's the lowest since May.
Consumer sentiment is watched by economists as an indication of consumer spending, which represents two-thirds of US economic activity.

03/18/2005 15:23 GMT