U.K. Consumers Feeling Brighter as Year Starts With Inflation Trending Down

Research group GfK’s Consumer Confidence Barometer rose three points to minus 19, its highest level in two years. The reading was a little better than the minus 20 expected by economists, according to a poll carried out by The Wall Street Journal. Particularly exciting is the measure of respondents’ feelings on their personal financial situation for the coming 12 months, GfK client strategy director Joe Staton said, with the index moving out of negative territory for the first time in two years.