U.S. consumers' mood brightened slightly more than expected in September, a report showed on Friday, and their inflation expectations slipped.
The University of Michigan's final reading on consumer sentiment in September was 85.4, above both an initial mid-month reading of 84.4 and August's final reading of 82, said sources who saw the subscription-only report.
The median forecast of Wall Street economists polled by Reuters was for a reading of 85.
The survey's index of current conditions fell to 96.6 in September from 103.8 in August, while consumer expectations rose to 78.2 from 68.0 in August.
Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, but in recent years confidence measures have been a weak guide to actual spending.
Consumers' expectations for inflation over the next 12 months fell the report said, according to the sources.
The University of Michigan's preliminary September reading on one-year U.S. inflation expectations was 3.1 percent, down from 3.8 percent in August.
Median expectations for inflation over a five-year horizon fell to 3.0 percent from 3.2 percent in August.
