Americans in February became less optimistic about the overall economy, especially the short-term prospects for the job market, sending a widely followed barometer of consumer sentiment below analysts’ estimates.
The Conference Board, a New York-based private research group, said Tuesday its consumer confidence index fell to 101.7, down from a revised 106.8 in January, stalling a rebound that began in November following the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Analysts had expected a reading of 104.0 in February.