Personal Spending Rises in August

Personal spending rose 0.5% in August, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The rise followed a 0.4% rise in July. Personal incomes rose 0.1% matching the previous month’s gain.

Economists’ median forecast was for a 0.5% increase in spending, Bloomberg reported.

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