By Ruth Mantell
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Confidence among consumers rose to 53.5 in August due to an improvement in their short-term outlook, but overall, consumers remain "apprehensive," the Conference Board reported Tuesday. "Employment concerns continue to weigh heavily on consumers' attitudes," said Lynn Franco, director of Conference Board's consumer research center, in a statement. "Expectations about future business and labor market conditions have brightened somewhat, but overall, consumers remain apprehensive about the future." Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected an August level of 50. The present-situation index fell to 24.9 in August from 26.4 in July, while the expectations index rose to 72.5 from 67.5. The July consumer confidence index was upwardly revised to 51 from a prior estimate of 50.4.
