Consumer Sentiment Rises for Third Straight Month

.S. consumer sentiment rose for a third straight month in January, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly consumer sentiment index released Friday.

The university’s preliminary index of consumer sentiment rose to 93.4 from 91.5 in December.

The sentiment reading was above economists’ expectations of an 92.5 reading, Bloomberg reported.

The survey’s current conditions index, which reflects consumers’ attitudes on whether it’s a good time to buy big-ticket items, also rose, to 112 from 109.1 in December.