U.S. consumer spending rose five-tenths of a percent in September.
Monday's report from the Commerce Department says incomes also grew solidly. Experts track consumer spending because consumer demand drives about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. Economists watch personal income figures for clues about future consumer spending.
Some analysts say the figures show the U.S. economy holding up in spite of recent hurricanes. That impression was reinforced by a report on the Chicago area showing that manufacturing there grew at a stronger than expected rate.
Economists track the survey by the National Association of Purchasing Managers of the midwestern region for clues about the nationwide economy.
There will be more economic news Tuesday when the Federal Reserve considers raising interest rates, and on Friday when the government publishes the nationwide unemployment rate.
Some inormation for this report provided by Bloomberg and Reuters.
