An index measuring U.S. consumer confidence rose this month for a fourth straight time, reflecting signs that the worst recession in at least five decades may end this year, Bloomberg reported. The Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment increased to 69, the highest level in nine months, from 68.7 in May. The report also found that consumers are less optimistic when they attempt to anticipate economic conditions that will prevail six months from now.

Home sales in Greater Des Moines totaled 694 in May, up 21 percent from April and down just 4 percent from May 2008, according to data from the Des Moines Area Association of Realtors. The average sales price was $182,233, up from $148,666 in April. Sales of homes priced $300,000 to $400,000 increased 50 percent. Homes were on the market an average of 108 days last month, up from 95 in April, and the number of active listings rose to 5,755 from 5,648.

Frank’s Pizza is moving from 2314 University Ave. in the Drake neighborhood to a new location on Ingersoll Avenue, but owners Justin Gross and Anthony Lemmo declined to provide an exact address for the new store. In an e-mail announcement, they said that the new store would allow them to expand the business and better serve their customers. The store will stop selling fresh pizza by the end of June, but will keep a few small frozen pizzas in stock while it works to open its new location.

The price of imported goods increased 1.3 percent in May, marking the third consecutive month of gains, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today. An 8.3 percent increase in petroleum prices was the primary contributor to the overall advance. The government’s index of export prices increased 0.6 percent in May after rising 0.4 percent in April.

BlackRock Inc. has agreed to buy Barclays Global Investors (BGI) in a $13.5 billion cash-and-shares deal that will create the world’s largest asset manager, to be called BlackRock Global Investors, MarketWatch reported. Under the terms of the deal, BlackRock will acquire BGI from British financial services giant Barclays plc in exchange for 37.8 million shares and $6.6 billion in cash, MarketWatch reported.