India, Feb. 20 -- Eurozone consumer confidence strengthened for a second straight month and at a faster than expected pace to its highest level in four months in February, suggesting that pessimism among households in the single currency bloc is easing despite the increasing threat of a trade tariff war.

The flash consumer confidence index rose to -13.6 from -14.2 in January, monthly survey data from the European Commission showed on Thursday. That surpassed the -14.0 reading economists had forecast.

The latest score was the strongest since October last year, when the confidence reading was -12.5.

The consumer confidence index for the EU gained 0.4 percentage points to -12.9 in February.

Both confidence readings remained below their lon...