Preliminary September Consumer Sentiment decreases to 76.8

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The preliminary Reuters / University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for September was at 76.8, down from the August reading of 82.1.

This was below the consensus forecast of 82.0. Sentiment has generally been improving following the recession - with plenty of ups and downs - and one big spike down when Congress threatened to "not pay the bills" in 2011.  This decline could be related to the situation in Syria ... it is probably too early to see the impact of the threats by Congress to "not pay the bills" in October.