U.S. consumers spent modestly more in October, but the small uptick suggests that they're still wary of buying too much ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that consumer spending rose 0.2 per cent last month, while September was revised from a decline to a flat reading. Income grew 0.2 per cent in October.
The U.S. economy has recorded solid growth over the last six months, yet consumers have restrained their spending amid ongoing worries about stagnant wages. But with a steadily improving job market and falling gas prices, economists say American households are ready to shed their cautiousness.
The holidays will reveal if that's true. The National Retail Federation, a trade group, is forecasting that holiday sales will rise 4.1 per cent from last year. That would be the biggest gain in three years.
"We see no shortage of cash to finance robust spending; wage and salary income is up... and sooner or later, people will start to spend the gas price windfall," said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
October's results reflected a 0.2 per cent increase in spending on non-durable goods such as clothing and a 0.3 per cent rise in spending on services such as utility payments and rent. Spending on durable goods such as autos fell 0.2 per cent in October.
The small gains in spending and income left the saving rate unchanged at 5 per cent of after-tax income.
Inflation remained a no-show, with a price gauge tied to spending rising by just 1.4 per cent over the past months, well below the 2 per cent target for inflation favoured by the Federal Reserve.
The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.9 per cent annual rate in the July-September quarter, with consumer spending growing at a 2.2 per cent pace. Economists expect growth of around 2.5 per cent in the current quarter, and they believe 2015 will bring further spending gains and growth of around 3 per cent.
The job market has made steady progress this year. Employers have added an average of 239,000 jobs a month through October. That would make hiring in 2014 the strongest that the U.S. has seen in 15 years. The unemployment rate has fallen to 5.8 per cent, a six-year low, from 7.2 per cent just one year ago.
On top of an improving labour market, the adverse impact of earlier government spending cuts and tax hikes will ease following five straight years of sub-par growth.
The Federal Reserve last month recognized signs of the improving economy, but its language suggests that it does not intend to raise a key short-term interest rate for a "considerable time." Many economists believe with inflation still low, the Fed is willing to wait until the middle of 2015 before it begins to boost interest rates.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.