More Consumers Plan to Boost Spending

More consumers plan to increase their spending during this year's holiday season than did last year as economic optimism has grown, a survey shows.

About 17% of respondents said they planned to spend more, up from 15% in the 2003 survey, the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Assn. said.

Thirty-two percent said they planned to spend less, down from 34% last year. Those planning to spend much less declined to 12% from 16%. Half said they planned to spend about the same as last year, the same as in 2003.