Author: Marguerite Ward

Personal Spending Will Pick Up, But Wages Continue to Lag

By Marguerite Ward Thursday’s personal income and outlays report will show strong personal spending that continues to outpace personal income. Personal income will likely rise by 0.2 percent for this month, down from 0.4 in February, according to a Bloomberg survey of 69 economists. The slowing personal income growth rate […]

Consumers May Have Hit Their Savings Peak

April 1, 2015 By Marguerite Ward A steady rise in personal income and an uptick in consumer spending suggest that slowly, but surely, the consumer will soon emerge from winter hibernation. Personal income in Feb. increased $58.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, outpacing the Jan. growth rate of 0.3 percent. Disposable […]

Personal Income Growth Falls Short, Spending Down in First Report of 2015

By Marguerite Ward Personal income grew less than expected and personal spending decreased more than expected in January. Still, both indicators are faring better on a year-over-year basis. The January report, released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, disappointed economists who hoped recent increases in wages and total number of […]