The Conference Board said its leading index of consumer sentiment rose from November's 50.6 to 52.9.
In early afternoon trading, stocks were trading on narrow margins. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.17 percent, 17.76 points, to 10,564.84. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 0.03 percent, 0.40 points, to 1,128.07. The Nasdaq composite index fell 0.05 percent, 1.11 points, to 2,289.97.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bill rose 8/32 to yield 3.817 percent.
The euro fell to $1.4357 from Monday's $1.4378. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 91.94 yen from Monday's 91.62 yen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.04 percent, 3.83 points, to 10,638.06.
In Britain, the FTSE 100 index rose 0.65 percent, 35.20, to 5,437.61.
Copyright 2009 by United Press International.
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