More evidence that the American consumer is in pretty good shape arrived on Friday.
Driving the news: Real personal spending— that is, adjusted for inflation — hit another new high in June.
Why it matters: All eyes are on the collective consumer as we watch for any signs that the Fed’s rapid succession of rate hikes might tip the economy into recession.
- If people are worried about losing their jobs, they tend to be a little more cautious about their spending. That's not what's happening now — consumers are propelling the economy forward.
By the numbers: Real spending in June grew 0.4% compared with May, a higher growth rate than in each of the previous four months.
- What we're watching: Any number of forces could slow consumer spending over the back half of the year — including the resumption of student loan payments and the continued shrinking of Americans' savings buffer, according to EY senior economist Lydia Boussour.
Meanwhile: Friday's data also showed the Fed's go-to measure of inflation cooling further.