Rising inequality could be a factor behind sluggish growth in the U.S. economy in the wake of the financial crisis, said Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard on Friday.
Consumer spending remains the main engine of growth in the U.S., and data show that the recovery in consumer spending after the crisis has been slower than would have been expected given the recovery in aggregate household income and net worth, Brainard said, in a speech at a Fed conference on community development.