SYDNEY (Reuters) -A measure of Australian consumer sentiment slid for a second straight month in October as concerns about family finances returned amid speculation interest rates might not fall any further, a survey showed on Tuesday.

A Westpac-Melbourne Institute survey showed its main index of consumer sentiment dropped 3.5% to 92.1, having fallen 3.1% in September. The reading under 100 means pessimists increasingly outnumber optimists.

Sentiment had been slowly picking up mid-year as the Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates three times and inflation looked to be cooling.

However, the RBA last week skipped a chance to cut again and cautioned that inflation was running a little higher than expected, putting in doubt further policy easing.

The shift in mood showed in the surv

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