U.S. personal spending rose at a solid clip in August for a third month, suggesting consumers continued to power the economy despite elevated inflation.
Consumer spending, adjusted for changes in prices, increased 0.4% last month, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data released on Friday, Sept. 26.
The consecutive strong gains in consumer spending add to evidence of a solid economy in the current quarter, building upon even greater growth in the prior period than previously thought.
However, maintaining such momentum hinges in large part on the labor market, which has shown signs of faltering with slower hiring and more moderate wage gains. Read more.