By Steve Goldstein
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The preliminary University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters consumer sentiment index for May is due at 9:55 a.m. Eastern, with economists polled by MarketWatch expecting the index to edge up to a reading of 71.0 from 69.8 last month. Falling oil prices and the death of Osama bin Laden could help the gauge, though a 9% unemployment rate should limit any advance. The gauge hasn't been above 100 since Jan. 2004 and was at 76.1 on the eve of the last recession.
