Consumer’s Star Turn Powering U.S. Growth Into 2015: Economy

The American consumer is back, recharging the U.S. economic expansion.

Households splurged on new cars, appliances, televisions and clothing as spending climbed 0.6 percent in November, beating the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, according to figures from the Commerce Department issued today in Washington. The economy grew at the fastest pace in 11 years, another report showed.