ECONOMY

Consumers Keep on Spending: Despite smaller incomes in November, consumers kept up the furious spending pace that has fueled economic growth this year. At the same time, orders for big-ticket durable goods posted the biggest jump in three months. The Commerce Department said that consumer spending rose 0.6% in November, the seventh straight advance, including a 0.7% gain in October. Analysts also said the 3.4% jump in factory orders for durable goods was exaggerated by an unsustainable surge of aircraft and automobile bookings in November.