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Income, spending gains slow

Report shows spending slightly better than forecasts, income slightly less than estimates; inflation reading tame.

March 31, 2006: 8:38 AM EST


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending rose 0.1 percent in February, a sharp slowdown from January but slightly above expectations, while inflation eased, a government report showed Friday.

The Commerce Department said personal income grew 0.3 percent in February, just below Wall Street forecasts for a 0.4 percent rise, following a 0.7 percent gain in January.

The report also showed a slowdown in inflation. The price index for consumer spending was flat in February after a 0.5 percent surge in January. When volatile food and energy costs are stripped out, the so-called core PCE price index rose 0.1 percent, in line with forecasts and down from a 0.2 percent increase in January.

Over the last 12 months, inflation eased to 2.9 percent from 3.1 percent in January. Core inflation, the price measure favored by the Federal Reserve, was steady at 1.8 percent.