U.S. consumer spending increased solidly in March as households boosted purchases of motor vehicles to avoid higher prices and shortages due to tariffs, but that did little to change economists' views that the economy had shifted into lower gear.

Yet the president has slapped 25% duties on steel and aluminum, as well as cars, and a 10% tariff on nearly all other imports. And China, the United States’ third-largest trading partner, now faces a 145% duty on its exports.

Inflation cooled a bit last month, but don't expect interest rates to drop, too. Prices rose by 2.3% year over year in March, according to the latest Personal Consumption Expenditures data released Wednesday.