The PCE price index showed that spending actually decreased 0.1% when adjusted to remove price changes from inflation.
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There are some other reports as well, with the ISM Manufacturing Index and Construction Spending set for release on Monday.
Tuesday features the January ISM manufacturing index and December construction spending.
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At the same time the national price index for personal consumption spending increased 0.3% in the third quarter, which is seasonally adjusted, but may reflect a slight pick up in pre-holiday spending.
Some of the other key U.S. economic indicators next week include personal income and spending Monday, Chicago Purchasing Managers Index and consumer confidence on Tuesday, ADP private-sector employment report and Institute for Supply Management manufacturing PMI Wednesday, and initial jobless claims Thursday.
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In the U.S., mixed in with the still mostly positive economic reports in the headlines have been reports that Durable Goods Orders unexpectedly fell 4.0% in January after rising 3.2% in December, factory orders unexpectedly fell in January, as did construction spending, while the ISM Mfg Index unexpectedly declined in February.
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The U.S. economic data slate Thursday is very heavy and includes the weekly DOE energy stocks report, ICSC chain store sales, domestic auto sales, the Challenger job cuts report, the ADP national employment report, weekly jobless claims, preliminary productivity and costs, the U.S. manufacturing PMI, the ISM manufacturing report, the consumer confidence index, and construction spending.
Those in favor of a chained CPI argue that the current index, which considers the spending habits of urban wage earners and clerical workers, is outdated.
On the still worsening side were the further declines in construction spending, and in the Chicago Purchasing Managers Index.
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The Visa index is based on figures for spending on Visa cards, which are then adjusted to reflect wider consumer spending.
TABOR's inflation measure, the consumer price index, rises slower than government spending.
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Over the final three months of the year, total spending fell by 0.9%, the index suggested.
Finally, just before the long weekend, we get consumer sentiment, the ISM Manufacturing Index and the monthly reading on construction spending.
Everyone knows that healthcare makes up 4.6 percent of the CPI index but a much greater part of spending in the real economy.
Among reports of recent weeks that came in better than forecasts were consumer sentiment, retail sales, home sales, construction spending, auto sales, factory orders, the ISM Mfg Index, the ISM Non-Mfg (service sector) Index, and so on.
Many want or need to rebuild the strength of their finances by spending less and, as today's Markit Household Finance Index shows, with wages stubbornly refusing to keep pace with inflation and benefit payments being constrained, most consumers feel poorer.
The PMI Manufacturing Index and ISM Manufacturing Index are both out on Monday, along with construction spending.
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U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday includes the weekly Goldman Sachs chain store sales index, the weekly Johnson Redbook retail report, construction spending, the ISM manufacturing report, and the Federal Open Market Committee begins a two-day meeting.
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In Asia, China's Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.4% as hopes of increased government spending on a wide range of investment projects lifted coal and construction companies.
The figures will add on fears Japanese firms are curtailing spending amid a US economic slowdown, and the data sent the Nikkei stock index down 1.44%.
Away from the depressing housing industry, the reports have been of unexpected big declines in durable goods orders, in consumer confidence, construction spending, as well as slowing manufacturing growth as measured by the Chicago area PMI Index, and the national ISM Manufacturing Index.
Assuming a similar spread back to 1985, this index is likely concealing about 20 percentage points of real growth in state higher education spending per FTE student.
"Consumer spending remained disappointingly weak in December, " said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, which compiled the index.
On the economic fundamentals, another bailout of Greece, and a one-month bump in the ISM Mfg Index are hardly an indication that the economic slowdown has ended, given the continuing dismal reports on consumer spending, consumer and business confidence, the depressed housing industry, and the jobs picture.
And on the fundamentals, another bailout of Greece, and a minor one-month bump in the ISM Mfg Index were hardly indications the global economic slowdown has ended, not given the continuing dismal reports on consumer spending, consumer and business confidence, the depressed housing industry, and the jobs picture.
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