The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell sharply to 74.1 in early June from its final-May reading of 79.3 and an early-May reading of 77.8, according to an economist who has seen the report. The end-May index was the highest sentiment level since October 2007.
The drop in early June may reflect consumers reacting to weaker labor markets and financial-market gyrations caused by uncertainty over the euro-zone debt crisis and a possible exit from the currency bloc by Greece.
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected the preliminary June index to fall to 77.0.
