Sales at stores open at least a year rose just 0.5% in April, well short of Wall Street estimates of a 1.7% increase, Reuters reported. The lackluster results came shortly after data showed that the U.S. economy expanded at a 3.2% annual rate in the first quarter--the fastest pace of consumer spending in three years, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, consumer confidence increased to 57.9, up from a revised 52.3 in March, according to The Conference Board, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The New York business-research nonprofit said the April reading is the highest since September 2008's 61.4. That was when the financial crisis intensified with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, sending consumer confidence into freefall the following month.

The index--which measures how shoppers feel about business conditions, the job market and the next six months--had been recovering fitfully since hitting an all-time low of 25.3 in February 2009, the AP reported. Economists watch the number closely because consumer spending, including health care and other major items, accounts for about 70% of economic activity.

April's reading is still far from what's considered healthy, the AP said. A reading above 90 indicates the economy is on solid footing; above 100 signals strong growth. Still, the monthly survey of consumers showed that consumers' current and short-term concerns about jobs and the overall economy are easing.

One component of the overall index, which assesses how consumers feel now about the economy, rose to 28.6 in April from 25.2 in March, the AP reported. The other component, which measures shoppers' outlook for the next six months, climbed to 77.4 from 70.4. "Looking ahead, continued job growth will be key in sustaining positive momentum," said Lynn Franco, director for The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

Meanwhile, employment data released last week by the U.S. Department of Labor indicated that the economy saw additional job growth for the fourth consecutive month in April. Job gains, however, were not enough to offset workforce growth, which forced the unemployment rate up to 9.9%. Persistent high unemployment and general economic unease continue to drive consumer wariness, according to the Retail Industry Leaders Association--a group that represents the world's largest retail companies.

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