Description:

This indicator is a gauge of how much money people earn and what they do with that money, either consume or save.

Released:

4-5 weeks after month’s end by the Bureau of Economic Analysis

Calculation:

The BEA collects salaries and wage data from the employment report and collects transfer payment data from other government organizations to compute the income numbers. For personal spending, the retail sales ex-auto figures are used.

Key Point:

This report is important to the economy because consumers (which are vital due to consumption) tend to spend more when incomes are increasing. The BEA is responsible for publishing the report and has the responsibility of calculating the incomes and spending numbers. Spending numbers are generally reported as a percentage of income.

Release site: Click here