Consumer sentiment up slightly over the last month

Consumer sentiment increased slightly over the last month, but it is not that people are actually feeling more prosperous.

The latest KBC - ESRI index shows that consumers are not quite as worried as they were, although they are still feeling cautious.

Austin Hughes, Chief Economist with KBC Bank Ireland, says the "feel-bad" factor is easing somewhat, but many households are still feeling financial strain:"Over the last year over a quarter of households say their household finances improved.

"So we are talking about three quarters of consumers saying things haven't gotten much better for them, so they are saying the recovery is happening to other people."