For the month of December, US consumer confidence recorded a rise for the second consecutive month, as expectation hiked to a two-year high, as per an official report released on Tuesday.

A private research group, the Conference Board, shared that its index of consumer confidence hiked to 52.9 for the ongoing month, from November's figure of 50.6, which was revised from 49.5 which was recorded earlier.

December's reading has been close to the estimates pegged by analysts which stood at 50.3 points in a survey undertaken by Dow Jones Newswires.

"A more optimistic outlook for business and labor market conditions was the driving force behind the increase in the expectations index", said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center.

While the "present situation" sub-index for the current month declined to 18.8 points from November's reading of 21.2, the expectations sub-index, which looks at confidences among surveyors for the coming 6 months, hiked to 75.6 from 70.3.

"Regarding income, however, consumers remain rather pessimistic about their short-term prospects and this will likely continue to play a key role in spending decisions in early 2010", said Mr. Franco.