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Economic Report of the President

Economic Report of the President - 2005 - The American Presidency ...

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Consumer SpendingConsumer spending continued its solid growth in 2004. Real personalconsumption expenditures, which account for 70 percent <strong>of</strong> GDP, rose3.9 percent during <strong>the</strong> four quarters <strong>of</strong> 2004. Consumer spending has beenboosted by continued gains in disposable personal income and a rebound inhousehold wealth. Real disposable personal income—after-tax incomeadjusted for inflation—rose by 2.3 percent at an annual rate during <strong>the</strong> first 11months <strong>of</strong> 2004. Household net worth, meanwhile, grew at a 6 percent annualrate in <strong>the</strong> first three quarters <strong>of</strong> 2004 (on top <strong>of</strong> a 13-percent gain during2003), as equity prices moved up and housing prices continued to increase.Personal saving fell to 0.8 percent <strong>of</strong> disposable personal income in <strong>the</strong> first11 months <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> year, down from an average <strong>of</strong> 1.4 percent in 2003. TheAdministration forecast assumes that <strong>the</strong> saving rate will be roughly flat in <strong>the</strong>coming years. Consumer spending is projected to continue its solid growth in2005, supported by solid consumer sentiment (which was above averagehistorical levels in December), projected real compensation gains, and <strong>the</strong>recent rebound in household wealth. Real consumer spending is projected togrow somewhat more slowly than overall real GDP during <strong>the</strong> projectionperiod to 2010.Chapter 1 | 33

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