US consumer confidence ticks up in March

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer confidence inched up in March after two straight monthly declines, even as persistent inflation, bank collapses and anxiety over a possible recession weighed on Americans.

The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 104.2 in March from 103.4 in February, but optimism about current conditions fell, while consumers grew slightly more positive about the short-term future. That’s a reversal from recent surveys.

The board...