In this Oct. 15, 2014 photo, Sam Abed talks with a customer at the Mediterranean Bakery and Deli in Richmond, Va. The Conference Board releases the Consumer Confidence Index for October on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014. (Photo: AP Photo/Richmond Times-Dispatch, Dean Hoffmeyer)

WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer confidence fell in November following a big gain in the previous month.

The Conference Board says its consumer confidence index fell to 88.7 in November, down from a seven-year high of 94.5 in October.

Conference Board economist Lynn Franco says that the decline primarily reflected reduced optimism in the short-term outlook, as consumers expressed less confidence in current business conditions and the present state of the job market.

But she adds that expectations about future income remained virtually unchanged. With gas prices falling, this should help boost holiday sales.

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