Spending Probably Stagnated: U.S. Economy Preview

Consumer spending in the U.S. probably stagnated in August after adjusting for inflation, showing the expansion is struggling to gain momentum, economists said before a report this week.

Household purchases, which account for about 70 percent of the economy, rose 0.5 percent last month after a 0.4 percent increase in July, according to the median estimate of 63 economists surveyed by Bloomberg ahead of Sept. 28 figures from the Commerce Department. The report may show the gain reflected a 0.5 percent jump in prices, the biggest since June 2009.