Consumer Spending Remains Strong in November

Consumer spending rose 0.5% in November, the largest increase in five months, the Commerce Department reported.

Commerce also said purchases rose 0.4% in October, a larger figure than was originally announced.

Spending on durable goods including cars increased 2.2%, the most in a year, while purchases of non-durable goods, including gasoline, were little changed, Commerce said in its Dec. 23 report.

Household spending on services rose 0.4% in November after adjusting for inflation, the biggest gain since March. The category includes utilities, tourism, legal help and health care.