US consumer spending rose a moderate 1.9% in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending by 1.9% last month, a dose of support for an economy struggling to emerge from the grip of a pandemic that has held back a recovery and kept roughly 27 million people jobless. The July gain marked the third straight monthly increase in consumer spending, the primary driver of the U.S. economy. Friday’s report from the Commerce Department also showed that income rose 0.4% in July after two months of declines. The consumer spend