The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, Sept. 17, edition that consumers are frustrated by rising prices but continue to spend, fueling the economy. An Associated Press dispatch to The Globe reports that retail sales rose by 1.2 per cent last month, rebounding from a revised 0.5-per-cent decline in July, according to Commerce Department data. Economists had expected a 0.7-per-cent increase. The decline in July was notable because there had been few signs of fatigue from United States consumers. Americans spent heavily during the World Cup and Amazon Prime Day sales this summer. That followed solid retail sales in April and May as Americans dipped into their government tax refunds. Even excluding business at gas stations, retail sales rose 1.1 per cent in August, underscoring the resilience of the American consumer. The government figures are not adjusted for inflation. The roar back in spending is happening even as consumer confidence took another hit in July, according to the latest reading by the Conference Board. The strong spending report comes as the Federal Reserve is widely expected to lift its short-term interest rate Wednesday for the first time in three years to fight stubbornly high inflation.