April saw a rise in consumer confidence, for the 16-state euro zone, as reported by AWNS. As per the statistics, the said index reading pointed at minus 15.2, which is an upturn from the downwardly adjusted minus 17.3 figure of March, as reported. %% The German market is predicted to see a climb to 3.8 points in its May index, from an upwardly revised 3.4 points in April. But big spends in Germany was on the decline in April. In France, the second-largest economy of this euro zone, consumer confidence dipped in the current month to 37 from minus 34 in March, reports say. %% Although there is an overall increase observed in consumer confidence, it is uncertain if it would continue, and also whether consumers would begin spending again, in view of the present high levels of unemployment and government plans for fiscal cutbacks. %% For the 27-nation European Union, consumer confidence in April improved from a downward-revised minus 13.9 in March to minus 12.5 in April.