FX.co ★ US Real Consumer Spending Rises Most in 17 Months

Inflation-adjusted US personal spending rose 0.6% month-on-month in August 2026, the strongest gain since March 2025, and an acceleration from the 0.1% increase recorded in July.

Goods spending advanced 1.3%, rebounding from a 0.5% decline in the previous month. The upswing was led by higher outlays on motor vehicles and parts (up 2.6% vs down 0.8% in July), recreational goods and vehicles (up 1.9% vs down 2.7%), and other nondurable goods (up 1.5% vs down 0.3%). By contrast, spending on gasoline and other energy goods was flat after a 0.3% increase in July.

Services spending rose 0.2%, easing from a 0.3% gain in July. Within services, spending increased on food services and accommodations (0.8% vs 0.4%), financial services and insurance (0.3% vs -0.1%), and transportation services (0.2% vs 0.4%), while recreation services fell 1.1% after a 0.2% rise in the prior month. Spending on housing and utilities edged up 0.1%, matching July’s pace.