Consumer spending rises 0.7 percent in Feb.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer spending rose in February at the fastest pace in four months, but a big part of the increase went to cover higher prices for gas.

The Commerce Department said consumer spending rose 0.7 percent last month. Personal incomes rose 0.3 percent. That was after a 1.2 percent January income increase — the biggest in nearly two years. Both gains reflected a Social Security tax cut that boosted take-home pay.

Still, high gas prices were a big reason for the increase in spending. Economists are concerned that if energy costs keep going up, they will cut into household budgets and leave consumers with less money to spend on other items.