US Consumer Confidence Surges

 US Consumer Confidence Surges

Two new reports are pointing to an improving U.S. economy.

A research group, the Conference Board, reported Tuesday that consumer confidence in the U.S. jumped this month, reaching a seven-month high. Rising home values and stock prices may have helped boost the key barometer¹.

Increased confidence in the U.S. economy could signal that American consumers are inclined to spend more. That is an important factor in the world's largest economy, 70 percent of which is driven by personal purchases, whether for food, computers, household needs or other items.

A separate report by Standard & Poor's and Case-Shiller showed that U.S. housing prices rose 1.2 percent in July from a year earlier, the biggest yearly gain in nearly two years. It was the third consecutive² month that housing prices in all 20 cities in the survey had increased.

Despite the advances, unemployment remains³ high in the U.S., above 8 percent for 43 straight months. Later this week, the government is releasing its latest estimate of how fast the U.S. economy is growing, showing whether it is advancing more than the 1.7 percent pace it earlier disclosed for the April-to-June period.

1 barometer   

n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标

参考例句：

• The barometer marked a continuing fall in atmospheric pressure.气压表表明气压在继续下降。
• The arrow on the barometer was pointing to"stormy".气压计上的箭头指向“有暴风雨”。

2 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。