U.S. consumer sentiment up more than expected in April

U.S. consumer sentiment rose in April to a nine-month high as views on current and near-term conditions surged, a survey released on Friday showed.

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final April reading on the overall index of consumer sentiment came in at 84.1, beating an expectation of 83.0 in a Reuters survey and up from 80.0 the month before. The preliminary April reading was 82.6.