Economics
Consumers Increasingly Prop Up a U.S. Economy That's Set to Slow Down
- Spending tops estimates while business-equipment orders drop
- Divide between market sentiment and economic data persists
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The onus is falling more squarely on consumers to drive U.S. economic growth as business investment shows further signs of slowing.
Consumption -- which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy -- rose more than forecast in November, a Commerce Department report showed Friday, while consumer sentiment improved in December. By contrast, business equipment orders unexpectedly fell in November and a regional gauge of manufacturing cooled.