WASHINGTON — Americans went shopping this spring, increasing their spending in May for the second straight month and delivering good news for economic growth.
The Commerce Department said Wednesday that consumer spending increased 0.4 percent in May on top of a 1.1 percent surge in April.
Spending on durable goods such as autos and appliances grew 0.6 percent, down from a 2.6 percent jump in April. Spending on nondurable goods, such as food and clothing, grew 0.5 percent. And spending on services grew just 0.1 percent.
The overall numbers underscore that consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity, picked up in the spring after getting off to a slow start in 2016. The economy grew at a lackluster 1.1 percent pace from January through March, partly because consumer spending grew just 1.5 percent, the slowest pace in two years.
Economists expect growth to rebound to a pace of 2 percent or faster in the second quarter.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.