61. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity, which is why the Federal Reserve and analysts are keeping a close watch on sales trends. 62. Consumer spending, the engine of economic growth, helped prop up the Dow. 63. Consumer spending, which slowed in the second quarter, has begun to rebound. 64. Consumers are spending less on homes and other goods because of higher taxes. 65. Consumers are spending more freely, businesses are boosting production and layoffs appear to be subsiding. 66. Consumers have been spending much of their income at an unsustainable rate. 67. Consumers might spend less as mortgage and credit-card rates move up, and bonds would grow more attractive as an investment compared with stocks. 68. Consumers were spending, businesses were investing, exports were expanding, and retailers were restocking depleted inventories. 69. Consumers would spend less. 70. Consumers would spend more freely once confidence returned, interest rates and unemployment fell and well-off companies raised wages, he said. |