[WASHINGTON] The Conference Board's index of consumer confidence increased to 98.1 in January from 96.3 a month earlier, the New York-based private research group said Tuesday.

The median forecast of 75 economists in a Bloomberg survey called for a reading of 96.5, with estimates ranging from 90 to 100.

Among other reports Tuesday, home prices in 20 US cities rose by the most since July 2014. The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values increased 5.8 per cent in November from the same month a year earlier.

BLOOMBERG