NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment improved slightly in late November from earlier this month, but it was weaker than October on deep anxiety over personal finances, a survey showed on Wednesday 25 November.

The Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers said the final figure for its index of consumer sentiment in November stepped up to 67.4 from 66.0 in the first half of the month.

Analysts had expected a final November figure of 67.0, compared with a final October reading of 70.6.

"The decline in consumer confidence was due to grim assessments by consumers of their finances, the worst ever recorded in the 60-year history of the surveys," Richard Curtin, director of the survey, said in a statement.

The survey's index on current personal finances ended November at 63 compared with 69 a month ago, while the reading on expected personal finances closed out the month at 112, down from 117 at the end of October.

(Reporting by Richard Leong, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)