Personal Spending Climbs 0.3%

Consumer personal spending rose 0.3% in March, the Commerce Department said Monday.

The increase followed a 0.7% February gain. Incomes rose 0.7% for a second straight month.

The spending increase was below economists’ forecasts of a 0.5% increase, Bloomberg reported.

An increase in consumer spending could increase demand for new factory goods and the trucking shipments that get them to stores.