The Brazilian National Confederation of Industry index of consumer confidence index rose to 102.2 points this month, 0.3 percent higher than last month, Xinhua reports.

Chinese state-run news agency quotes the confederation as saying the increase is due to greater expectations that inflation will slow and unemployment diminish.

Expectations about inflation and employment improved by, respectively, 2.6 percent and 2.5 percent in April, the report stated.

The index this month is 1.2 percent lower than a year earlier, and below its average of 107.9 points since it was first compiled, Xinhua says.