WASHINGTON: US consumer spending rose less than expected in January as the largest monthly increase in inflation in four years eroded households’ purchasing power, pointing to moderate economic growth in the first quarter.
The surge in inflation raises the possibility of an interest rate increase from the Federal Reserve this month. While still below the US central bank’s 2 per cent target, inflation is now in the upper end of the range that Fed officials in December felt would be reached this year.
Despite the signs of moderate economic growth early in the first quarter, the recovery in the manufacturing sector is gaining traction, with factory activity surging to a 2½ year high in February, other data showed on Wednesday.
“It would appear to suggest the economy is getting off to yet another abysmal start to a year in the first quarter,” said Paul Ashworth, chief US economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. “Core inflation is gradually closing in on target, which partly explains why Fed officials appear to be making the case for a March interest rate hike.”
The Commerce Department said consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, increased 0.2 per cent after rising 0.5 per cent in December. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast consumer spending gaining 0.3 per cent in January.
Consumer spending is likely to remain supported amid promises by the Trump administration of sweeping tax cuts and increased infrastructure spending.
In a speech to Congress on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump said his economic team was working on a “historic tax reform that will reduce the tax rate on our companies” and promised a “massive” tax relief for the middle class. Trump offered no further details.
Consumer confidence has surged following Trump’s election victory, hitting a 15½ year high in February.
In January the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index increased 0.4 per cent — the largest gain since February 2013 — after rising 0.2 per cent in December.
In the 12 months through January, the PCE price index jumped 1.9 per cent. That was the biggest year-on-year gain since October 2012 and followed a 1.6 per cent increase in December.
Excluding food and energy, the so-called core PCE price index rose 0.3 per cent in January. That was the biggest increase since January 2012 and followed a 0.1 per cent gain in December.
The core PCE price index increased 1.7 per cent year-on-year after a similar gain in December. The core PCE is the Fed’s preferred inflation measure.
— Reuters
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