Consumer mood still recovering

As the positive sounds continue to emerge from the economy, consumer sentiment has recovered slightly but still remains below the long-term average.

Consumers are more willing to spend their money now then they were at any time in the last six years, according to the KBC consumer sentiment index, which hit a six-year high of 79.8 in December.

Chief economist with KBC Bank Ireland, Austin Hughes, said that the mood of the consumer was recovering from a very tough period.