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The flat reading on consumer spending is called after 10 consecutive months of gains, the Commerce Department said on Monday, and then recorded a downward revision to spending in April to 0.3%.

Washington. U.S. spending on consumption was unchanged in May for the first time in almost a year, probably reflecting a plunge in auto sales, government figures showed that also pointed to a rise in underlying inflation pressures.

The flat reading on consumer spending is called after 10 consecutive months of gains, the Commerce Department said on Monday, and then recorded a downward revision to spending in April to 0.3%.

Market expectations were that consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, rise just 0.1% in May after an originally reported figure of 0.4% in April.

“We will cut fuel consumption and GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for the second quarter. That’s a couple of tenths of a point. It was a small impact on consumers by higher energy prices and problems in the supply chain, “said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Pierpont Securities.

“We’ll see a good rebound in GDP in the third quarter for full production in the automotive sector, which was a bit behind in the second quarter,” he said.

When adjusted for inflation, spending fell 0.1% in May, its second consecutive month low.

Spending on durable goods fell 1.5% after remaining steady in April.

Last month, spending probably was contained by a sharp decline in purchases of motor vehicles because of interruptions in automobile production given the lack of spare parts after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March, which left some models without inventories.

Sales of motor vehicles in May touched it’s lowest since September.

The weak reading in May suggests that consumer spending, which has been beaten by high gasoline prices will be much weaker in the second quarter the annual rate of 2.2% recorded in the first three months of the year.

While the report fits with other data that illustrate the loss of momentum in the economy, the decline in gasoline prices should push spending and therefore growth in the third quarter.

Gasoline prices have fallen sharply from its peak of $ 4.02 per gallon in early May.

Despite the decline in fuel prices, the pressures of inflation continue to push.

The price index for personal consumption expenditures (PCE for its acronym in English) rose 0.2% after rising 0.3% in April. Compared with May of last year, the index rose 2.5% in 12 months, the most since January 2010, after rising 2.2% in April.

The core PCE index, which excludes food and energy rose 0.3%, the biggest advance since October 2009, after rising 0.2% in the previous month.

The core PCE index, which is closely watched by the Fed, rose 1.2% in 12 months to May, the biggest advance since August.

The index climbed 1.1% yoyos in April and the Fed would like it to be about 2%.

Revenue rose 0.3% last month, slightly below expectations for a rise of 0.4%. In April, also rose 0.3%.

“There is so significant because in terms of spending already knew the subject vehicle and the rest of the goods sector of retail sales,” said Alan Evensong, chief economist at T. Rowe Price in Baltimore.

“It implies that we have had modest growth in underlying revenue, based on the expectation that the labor market recovery will continue and the expenditure side, we had a break, again for the vehicles,” he said.

In which we bring you motoring news from around the Web:

• The BMW 1 Series M, which was first shown at the Detroit auto show in January, is already nearing the end of its life cycle. According to Matthew Russell, the communications manager for BMW of North America’s Motorsport division, North American deliveries of the 335-horsepower, $47,000 coupe will be limited to roughly 1,000 units, which would comprise “only about a year’s worth” of orders, he said in a telephone interview. While no production cut-off date has been set, he acknowledged that the current version of the 1 Series was at its bicycle, which partially explained the short production run. A replacement model may take its place after the 1 Series receives a redesign, he said, but did not disclose when such a model would reach North America. (BMW)

• Volkswagen announced pricing of its overhauled Pass at sedan on Thursday, touting a sub-$20,000 price point for its 2.5-liter S model ($20,765 after adding the $770 delivery charge). The TDI SE is equipped with a 2-liter turbo diesel engine that VW expects to receive a 43 m.p.g. highway rating from the E.P.A. and starts at $26,765. Pricing for the 3.6-liter, 280-horsepower VR6 begins at $29,765. The Pass at will be assembled at the brand’s new plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., inaugurated on Tuesday. (Volkswagen)

• The next-generation Chevrolet Impala sedan, expected in 2014, will be built at the Hamtramck, Mich., plant that currently produces the brand’s Volt plug-in hybrid, General Motors announced Wednesday. The news surprised workers and managers at the automaker’s plant in Oshawa, Ontario, where the current-generation Impala is produced. G.M. has yet to commit to continuing production of the Impala at Oshawa. (Windsor Star)

• Sebastian Vetted, the Red Bull Formula One driver who has won four out of five races this year, logged the quickest practice lap Thursday morning in advance of the Monaco Grand Prix, which is scheduled for Saturday. The afternoon session, however, was won by Fernando Alonso, the Ferrari driver, with Lewis Hamilton of McLaren-Mercedes just 0.1 second behind. Mark Webber, Vetter’s teammate and the winner of last year’s Monaco G.P., did not set a time due to problems with his car’s gearbox.