Solid U.S. consumer spending boosts prospect of Fed rate hike

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. Monday's report from the Commerce Department came several days after Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the case for raising rates had strengthened in recent months. The Commerce Department said that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic act