Americans' consumer confidence increased in January after a decline in December, according to the newest Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. The index now stands at 125.4, up from 123.1 in December. Americans' assessment of the current economic situation decreased slightly between December and January, while their expectations for the future rose. The index is based on a probability-design random sample conducted for the Conference Board by Nielsen, a global provider of information and analytics around what consumers buy and watch.