U.S. consumer spending rose solidly in December as households bought motor vehicles and a range of services amid rising wages, pointing to sustained domestic demand that is likely to set the economy up for faster growth in early 2017.
The Commerce Department said on Monday that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, increased 0.5 percent after an unrevised 0.2 percent gain in November.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast consumer spending climbing 0.5 percent last month. Consumer spending increased 3.8 percent in 2016 after rising 3.5 percent in 2015.
