U.S. consumer spending unexpectedly fell in January, but a pick up in inflation could provide cover for the Federal Reserve to delay cutting interest rates for some time. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.

A key price gauge declined last month, a sign that inflation may be cooling though stiff tariffs threatened by the White House threaten that progress

A key price gauge declined last month, a sign that inflation may be cooling though stiff tariffs threatened by the White House threaten that progress. Yet data released Friday by the Commerce Department also showed that Americans cut their spending last month 0.