US Confidence Bounces in February, but Job-Finder Worries Persist

U.S. consumer confidence rose to 91.2 in February, led by gains among younger and higher‑income households, but concerns about jobs linger as the share saying jobs are hard to get jumped to a five‑year high and the labor‑market differential suggests unemployment could rise. December housing prices edged up 0.1% with a 12‑month rise of 1.8%, while mortgage rates remained a factor in housing demand.