Short Reports

Consumer confidence, a key indicator of future economic activity, rose in May for a record-setting seventh consecutive month, the Conference Board reported. Also, the National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing single-family homes fell 3.3 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.24 million units from March’s 5.42 million record level. Still, the April figure was 6.3 percent above the pace of April 1998, the Realtors said.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and French businessman Bernard Arnault are investing $300 million in the privately held Internet brokerage firm Datek Online Holdings Corp.

Saturn Corp. is recalling 136,300 cars because their seat backs can recline or collapse suddenly, which has caused at least one driver to crash, spokesman Bill Betts said Tuesday. No one was killed, but at least two people reported injuries because of the faulty seat backs, said Betts, who had no further details.