U.S. Consumer Spending Anemic in March

(CN) - U.S. consumers saw a slight uptick in their disposable income in March, but largely failed to spend it, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

According to the department's Bureau of Economic Analysis, personal income increased by $57.4 billion, or 0.4 percent in March, and disposable personal income rose by $50.4 billion (another increase of 0.4 percent).

Despite this, spending only edged up $12.8 billion, or 0.1 percent, last month, after a 0.2 percent rise in February.

All told, the government said, wages and salaries increased $29.2 billion in March, in contrast to a decrease of $4.6 billion in February. Private wages and salaries increased $26.3 billion, in contrast to a decrease of $8.0 billion.

Government wages and salaries increased $2.8 billion, compared with an increase of $3.4 billion. Supplements to wages and salaries increased $5.4 billion in March, compared with an increase of $3.0 billion in February.

Purchases of durable goods decreased 0.3 percent in March, with a decline in purchases of motor vehicles and other durable goods offsetting an increase in purchases of clothing and other nondurable goods.

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