Automobiles boost U.S. consumer spending; inflation still tame

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending increased for a fourth straight month in July amid strong demand for automobiles, pointing to a pickup in economic growth that could pave the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year. The Commerce Department said on Monday that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, rose 0.3 percent last month after a 0.5 percent gain in June. When adjusted for inflation, consumer s