Consumer Spending Probably Climbed in July: U.S. Economy Preview

Consumer spending probably rose for a third consecutive month in July as improvements in the housing and labor markets helped underpin the biggest part of the economy, economists said before a report this week.

Purchases of goods and services increased 0.3 percent last month after a 0.5 percent advance in June, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 59 economists before Commerce Department figures on Aug. 30. Another report may show a pickup in orders for big-ticket items other than transportation equipment.