Personal Income boosted by Microsoft share handout
January 31, 2005
A rare divident payment of $32 billion by Microsoft in December boosted personal income figures and contributed to nearly a full percentile in consumer spending for the month.
The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that there would only have been an increase in personal income of about 0.6% for December, but the Microsoft pay-out increased this to 3.7%.
An additional 0.8% rise in consumer spending was also attributed solely to the dividend.
However, although the $38 billion tax rebates the US Inland Revenue Services paid out in 2001 under President George W Bush, analysts expect much of the dividend to be reinvested in Microsoft shares, rather than directly entering the high street.
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