Washington - Consumer confidence in the United States surged in April as governments have begun pointing to signs that a deep economic downturn is slowing, according to a private research group Tuesday.

The New York-based Conference Board said its index of consumer confidence jumped to 39.2 in April, its highest reading of the year, from 26.9 the previous month. It marked the largest one-month gain in three years.

Lynn Franco, head of consumer research at the Conference Board, said the rise was due to a large improvement in people's short-term outlook.

"Consumers believe the economy is nearing a bottom," Franco said in a statement. "However, this index still remains well below levels associated with strong economic growth."

The housing downturn at the centre of the crisis may also be slowing, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller Index. Housing prices fell 18.6 per cent in February compared to the year before, according to the index, which measures markets in 20 major US cities.

That compared to a record 19-per-cent year-on-year decrease in January and marked the first slowdown in the price collapse since 2007. The housing downturn has cost financial firms some 1 trillion dollars in mortgage-related assets.

US President Barack Obama has been touting "glimmers of hope" in the economy over the past couple of weeks. Finance ministers from around the world meeting over the weekend in Washington also said there were some indications that a global recovery might be on the way.

The world economy is still projected to shrink by 1.3 per cent this year, the first recession since World War II, according to the International Monetary Fund. The US economy will contract by 2.8 per cent, the IMF said last week.