US September consumer confidence at 81.9, lowest since April 2014

The Conference Board's US consumer confidence index fell 6.7 points to 81.9 in September. The index reached its lowest level since April 2014.

Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board, said consumers' written responses in September were mostly pessimistic. She said mentions of prices and the high cost of goods and services, particularly oil and gas prices, had risen sharply, reflecting September's surge in fuel costs.

The average gasoline price stood at $4.45 per gallon on Tuesday, up 37 cents from $4.08 a month earlier, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). Consumers identified higher prices at the pump as one factor behind the decline in confidence.