Preliminary June Consumer Sentiment decreases to 81.2

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The preliminary Reuters / University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for June was at 81.2, down from 81.9 in May.

This was below the consensus forecast of 83.0. Sentiment has generally been improving following the recession - with plenty of ups and downs - and a big spike down when Congress threatened to "not pay the bills" in 2011, and another smaller spike down last October and November due to the government shutdown.