The Conference Board released its consumer confidence index for the U.S. on Tuesday. The index climbed to 96.2 in March from 94.0 in February. February's figure was revised up from 92.2. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged at 94.0.

The present conditions index dropped to 113.5 in March from 115.0 in February.

The Conference Board's consumer expectations index for the next six months increased to 84.7 in March from 79.9 in February.

The percentage of consumers expecting more jobs in the coming months was up to 12.9% in March from 12.2% in February.

"Consumers' assessment of current conditions posted a moderate decline, while expectations regarding the short-term turned more favourable as last month's turmoil in the financial markets appears to have abated. On balance, consumers do not foresee the economy gaining any significant momentum in the near-term, nor do they see it worsening," the director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, Lynn Franco, said.