Real consumer spending in the United States edged down slightly in the fourth quarter of 2025, with growth slowing to 1.9%, compared with 2.0% previously recorded in the same period.
The marginal deceleration suggests that while household demand remained relatively solid, momentum in real consumption lost a bit of steam by the end of 2025. As real consumer spending is a key driver of overall economic activity, even a small shift in its growth rate can be closely watched by analysts assessing the strength and durability of the U.S. expansion.
The updated figures, released on 9 April 2026, will likely feed into forecasts for 2026, as markets gauge whether the softening in real spending marks a brief pause or the beginning of a more sustained moderation in consumer-driven growth.
