Mubasher: The University of Michigan's final data  indicated a decrease in the US consumer confidence during May.

The consumer sentiment index stood at 98 points in May, declining from 98.8 in April, but higher 0.9% higher than the figure for the same year-ago period, a survey by Michigan University showed on Friday.

Meanwhile, the index for the current economic conditions plunged 2.7% to 111.8 points month-on-month in May, with a slight increase of 0.1% from the reading for the same period last year.

However, the expectation index increased to 89.1 points from 88.4 in the previous month, with a year-on-year increase of 1.6%.

Consumers expected smaller income increases than a month or year ago, even though they anticipated the unemployment rate to remain at its current 18 year low, the survey stated, adding that references to lower prices for durables, vehicles and homes dropped to decade lows.

By 2:21 pm GMT, the ICE US dollar index surged 0.42% $94.1680.