The Commerce
Department reported on Friday that consumer spending in the U.S. surged 5.6
percent m-o-m in June after a revised 8.5 percent m-o-m climb in May
(originally an 8.2 percent m-o-m jump). Economists had forecast the reading to
show a 5.5 percent m-o-m gain.
Meanwhile,
consumer income fell 1.1 percent m-o-m in May, following a revised 4.4 percent
m-o-m decline in the previous month (originally a 4.2 percent m-o-m decrease).
Economists had forecast a 0.5 percent m-o-m drop.
The June decline
in personal income was more than accounted for by a decrease in government
social benefits to persons as payments made to individuals from federal
economic recovery programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continued, but
at a lower level than in May. Partially offsetting the decline in other
government social benefits were increases in compensation of employees and
proprietors’ income as portions of the economy continued to reopen in June.
Unemployment insurance benefits, based primarily on unemployment claims data
from the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, also rose
in June.
The personal
consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, excluding the volatile categories
of food and energy, which is the Fed's preferred inflation measure, increased
0.2 percent m-o-m in June, following a revised 0.2 percent m-o-m advance in the
prior month (originally a 0.1 percent m-o-m uptick). Economists had projected
the index would increase 0.2 m-o-m.
In the 12
months through June, the core PCE increased 0.9 percent after a 1.0 percent
surge in the 12 months through May. Economists had forecast an advance of 1.0
percent y-o-y.