Personal Spending Rises After Six-Month Decline

Consumer personal spending rose in January for the first time in seven months, the Commerce Department said Monday.

Spending increased 0.6%, following a 1% downturn in December, Commerce said.

Economists had forecast a 0.4% increase in January spending, Bloomberg reported.

Personal incomes rose 0.4% in the same period, Bloomberg said.

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