-
US consumer spending was flat in September and below expectations as inflation takes toll
Consumer spending was flat in September as prices moved sharply higher and the Federal Reserve implemented higher interest rates to slow the economy, according to government figures released Thursday. Retail and food services sales were little changed for the month after rising 0.4% in August, according to the advance estimate from the Commerce Department. That was below the Dow Jones estimate for a 0.3% gain. Excluding autos, sales rose 0.1%, against an estimate for no change. Considering that the retail sales numbers are not adjusted for inflation, the report shows that real spending across the range of sectors the ... (full story)