Personal Spending Rises 0.2% in August

Consumer personal spending edged up 0.2% in August, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The slight increase followed a revised 0.7% gain in July that was smaller than originally reported.

The August gain matched economists’ forecasts, Bloomberg reported.

Personal incomes dipped 0.1%, the first decrease since October 2009, Bloomberg said.

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