Eurozone consumer confidence brightens further to 2 high

Consumer confidence in the eurozone reached a two-year high in September, data released Friday showed, amid a growing belief that the currency bloc is finally on the mend, dpa reported. The mood among households in the region rose to -14.9 this month, up from -15.6 in August, the European Commission said. It was the highest level recorded since August 2011. The increase fell short of analysts' expectations, however. They had anticipated a -14.3 reading. In the wider, 28-member European Union, consumer confidence also continued climbing, reaching -11.7, up from -12.8 in August. It was the first time since June 2011 that the indicator crossed back over its long-term average of -12.3, the commission said.