NEW YORK | Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:45am EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer confidence rebounded to its highest level in 13 months at the end of March as optimism about jobs and income overcame higher prices at the gasoline pump, according to a survey released on Friday.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final March reading for the overall consumer sentiment index rose to 76.2, the highest since February 2011, from 75.3 in February.
The final March figure rose from a preliminary reading of 74.3 and was above economists' median forecasts of 74.7.
"Consumer confidence edged upward as more favorable income and job trends offset rising gas prices," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement.
Consumer confidence is seen by some economists as a proxy for future consumer spending. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the U.S. economy.
Earlier Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department said personal spending rose by a bigger-than-expected 0.8 percent month over month in February, the largest monthly rise since July.