Consumers Don't Enjoy Unemployment

Confidence among U.S. consumers unexpectedly fell in November for the second consecutive month as surging unemployment shook households.

The Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment decreased to 66 from 70.6 in October. The gauge was projected to rise, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists.

A jobless rate that jumped to a 26-year high last month and is projected to remain above 10 percent through the first half of next year is weighing on Americans as they head into the holiday shopping season. Macy's Inc. is among retailers showing a decline in sales as consumers spend only on essentials such as food and clothing.