Inflation-adjusted US personal spending rose 0.2% month-over-month in March 2026, easing from an upwardly revised 0.3% gain in February, as consumers showed signs of more cautious demand. Overall goods spending was unchanged at 0.6%, but the details pointed to weakening momentum. Outlays on motor vehicles and parts slowed sharply to 2.4% from 6.8% in February, while spending fell for gasoline and other energy goods (-1.4% vs 0.2%) and for clothing and footwear (-0.5% vs 1.1%).
Services spending remained subdued, inching up just 0.1%. The category was weighed down by declines in housing and utilities (-0.3% vs 0%), softer growth in healthcare (0.2% vs 0.3%), and a notable pullback in transportation services (-0.5% vs 1.6%). In contrast, spending on recreation services rebounded to 0.4% from -0.5%, and expenditures on financial services and insurance edged up to 0.4% from 0.2%.
