More on the Weird Economy

This is a couple of days old, but is significant nonetheless. And again, conterbalances, to some degree, the jobs news and underscores the consumer confidence numbers:

The Commerce Department said Monday that consumers' spending rose by 0.4 percent as fears of worst-case scenarios in Iraq dissipated with the onset of the war.

In February, spending had risen by a lackluster 0.1 percent after having fallen by 0.1 percent in January, reflecting harsh winter weather and plunging consumer confidence because of growing anxiety about the war.

Personal incomes also rose by 0.4 percent in March, double the February gain.

Source:ABCNEWS.com : Consumer Spending, Personal Incomes Up