{"id":100712,"date":"2021-03-26T07:30:17","date_gmt":"2021-03-26T11:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=100712"},"modified":"2021-03-26T07:28:16","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T11:28:16","slug":"wsj-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=100712","title":{"rendered":"(WSJ) U.S. Households Primed to Boost Spending After Brief Lull"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cold weather\u2014including storms that shut down sections of Texas<\/a> and other states\u2014prevented many people from dining out, ordering food online or going to stores last month. Household incomes also likely fell from abnormally high levels in January, when the government distributed stimulus checks<\/a> of up to $600 a person in most households under a $900 billion economic-relief plan approved by Congress late last year. That law also provided enhanced employment benefits of $300 a week for jobless workers.<\/p>\n

A spending surge is likely in the offing. Millions of people each day are getting a Covid-19 vaccine, and many are starting to venture out in public and shop and travel. Meanwhile, the federal government this month is sending out yet another round of stimulus money\u2014this time checks of up to $1,400, a part of another Covid-19 relief package worth $1.9 trillion<\/a> signed by President Biden. The aid\u2014along with other measures by lenders and landlords to suspend consumers\u2019 monthly payments on debt during the pandemic\u2014has left many households sitting on a pile of cash.<\/p>\n

That combo\u2014higher incomes and a rising number of people shielded from the worse effects of the deadly virus\u2014is expected to unleash a burst of economic activity in coming weeks, as many Americans resume activities they have put off for a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they\u2019re let out of the house, there is some pent-up demand, and they\u2019re going to go out into the restaurants\u201d as well as travel and shop, said Lindsey Piegza, chief economist at Stifel Nicolaus & Co.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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U.S. households are primed to boost spending, with the Covid-19 pandemic easing and a new round of stimulus money landing in bank accounts https:\/\/t.co\/zueiWLn7ox<\/a><\/p>\n

— Real Time Economics (@WSJecon) March 26, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n