ChangeWave's latest survey shows U.S. consumer spending growth is trending a bit lower in May as expectations on the economy continue to drop. ChangeWave Research is a service of 451 Research

Importantly, the May 1- 15, 2012 survey of 2,506 consumers shows most individual spending categories remain flat to slightly lower this month, although spending on restaurants and travel has begun to edge up.

Despite sluggish consumer electronics spending, Amazon is showing an uptick in home entertainment shopping this month while Apple is maintaining its all-time high. And in perhaps the most positive finding of the survey, consumer concerns over higher energy costs and inflation are continuing to ease.

Report details include:

• Consumer Spending Behavioral Forecasts – Past 3 Years Comparison
• Consumer Spending on Electronics, Household Repairs/Improvements, Restaurants, Retailers, Travel/Vacation, Autos, and other categories
• Next 90-day spending projections for several major retailers including Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Bed, Bath and Beyond (BBBY), Best Buy (BBY), Costco (COST), JC Penney (JCP), Kohls (KSS), Macys (M), Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT)
• The Impact of High Energy Costs and Inflation on Consumers
• Consumer Confidence with the U.S. Stock Market
• Changes in Consumer Sentiment and Expectations

The Complete May U.S. Consumer Spending Report is available here.