Pedestrians pass an H&M storefront window advertising discounts in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

March 3 (Bloomberg) — Consumer spending in the United States climbed more than forecast in January, reflecting the biggest increase in services in over 12 years as Americans began to enroll for the Obama administration’s health care program.

Household purchases, which account for about 70 percent of the economy, rose 0.4 percent, after a 0.1 percent gain the prior month that was smaller than previously estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 76 economists in a Bloomberg survey called for a 0.1 percent rise. Incomes advanced 0.3 percent.

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