jobless claims: US consumer spending in July surges; weekly jobless claims fall
U.S. consumer spending in July increased by 0.8%, exceeding economists' forecast of 0.7%. However, slowing inflation has led to expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged next month. The economy grew at a rate of 2.1% in the second quarter, largely due to consumer spending. Despite a cooling labor market, job openings remain low and employers are retaining workers.