Consumer spending ramps up, housing falters
January 31, 2014 at 09:51 AM EST
Even as chunks of the housing market falter, consumers opened up their wallets at the end of last year. Spending ramps up its contribution to economic growth, signaling that households’ confidence may be rising, according to data released this week. Elsewhere in the economy, the government reports that business investment swung lower at the end of 2013, not a great sign for 2014.