Consumer Spending Up, Incomes Down Last Month

The latest from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is that consumer spending rose .2 percent last month as incomes dropped by the same amount. The rise in spending is the second consecutive month of increases after a 6 month drop—in January, spending rose by 1 percent, the greatest one-month increase in 3 1/2 years.

The GDP is in the hole: it fell 6.3 percent, the biggest drop since 1982, but analysts believe it could begin rising by Q4 2009.

Meanwhile,