Personal spending in the United States rose 0.5% in September, the latest figure published by the government showed. The reading came in below the 0.6% that markets had forecast, and it was lower than the 0.9% recorded in the previous period.
What the figure measures
Personal spending tracks the total amount households spend on goods and services, so it is a broad gauge of consumer demand. Because consumer spending accounts for a large share of economic activity, the figure is closely watched by economists, policymakers and investors. A reading of 0.5% means households spent half a percent more in the reference period than before, a slower pace than the previous period, when spending had grown 0.9%.
The release was published at 12:30 GMT on 29 October 2026, with the reference period given as September 2026.
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