Consumer spending and personal income both rose twice as fast as expected in the latest month, while a key measure of inflation rose at its fastest pace in half a year, the Commerce Department said today. Incomes rose 0.6 pct in February after rising 1.0 pct in the previous month, while spending rose 0.6 pct following a 0.5 pct rise in January. Both spending and income surpassed the expectations of economists, who had predicted a 0.3 pct rise for each. Meanwhile, inflation as measured by the personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.4 pct in February after rising 0.2 pct in January. In the past year, the PCE price index has risen 2.3 pct. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices and is considered by the Federal Reserve to be a better barometer of prices, rose 0.3 pct in the month, the fastest monthly gain since August. On a year-on-year basis, core inflation rose 2.4 pct, matching the twelve months leading up to September 2006. Core inflation was last higher in April 1995, when it rose 2.5 pct. Adjusted for inflation, real spending rose 0.2 pct in January after rising 0.3 pct January. Real disposable incomes, which are inflation-adjusted and measure income after taxes, rose 0.1 pct in February after rising 0.6 pct in January.