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UK consumer morale holds at six-year high - GfK

LONDON (Reuters) - British consumer sentiment held steady as expected in February and matched January's level, the highest in more than six years, a survey from researchers GfK showed on Friday.

GfK's headline consumer confidence index stayed at -7 this month, which was jointly with January the best reading since September 2007, around the start of the financial crisis.

"After the substantial six point rise in the index last month, holding steady, rather than any form of correction, is good news," said Nick Moon, managing director of social research at GfK. "Just a year ago the index stood at -26, so the current level is massively better."

February's reading was ahead of the -9 lifetime average of the survey, which dates back to 1974.

Consumer demand and an upturn in the housing market have so far been the main drivers of Britain's economic recovery, but there have been signs it is starting to broaden out.

The economy grew 0.7 percent in the last three months of 2013, helped by a pick-up in business investment and trade that will hearten the Bank of England and the government.

The survey of 2,000 people aged over 16 was conducted from January 31 to February 16, and was carried out by GfK on behalf of the European Commission.

(Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by Hugh Lawson)