US consumer confidence improves for first time since November

It’s been a little while since Americans had an inkling of optimism about the economy.

Consumer confidence rose 12.3 points this month to a reading of 98, the Conference Board said in its latest survey released Tuesday, the first monthly gain since November and the biggest monthly increase since March 2021. That’s higher than economists’ expectations for a reading of 88, according to data firm FactSet.

For the past several months, President Donald Trump’s sweeping policy changes, including his ongoing trade war, have taken a toll on people’s attitudes toward the economy. Last month, consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since the early days of the Covid pandemic.

CNN's Matt Egan reports. Also, CNN's Boris Sanchez talks with the Cato Institute's Scott Lincicome and CNN Business editor-at-large Richard Quest discusses EU trade talks. #CNN #News