Personal income up slightly in December

The increase in private wage and salary disbursements nearly tripled from November to December, increasing $15.5 billion, as compared to just $5.9 billion in November. Payrolls in the goods-producing industries also grew in December by $1.5 billion, a turnaround from when they dropped $2.5 billion in November.

Increases in paychecks in the services-producing industries also were up in December, growing $14 billion compared to November’s $8.4 billion boost.
Government wages showed the smallest amount of growth, ticking up just $300 million, to $1.6 billion, in December when compared to November’s $1.3 billion level.

The increase in personal outlays more than doubled from December to November — $67.5 billion to $33.6 billion, respectively.

Going alongside that number, personal saving was lower in December. The figure was $614.1 billion for the last month of 2010, compared to $634.4 billion in November.