Signs of an improving economy might be in your kitchen or bathroom cupboards.

Consumers are showing a willingness to pay a little more to get Colgate toothpaste, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Gillette Fusion shavers. That's good news for the economy and the multibillion- dollar companies that make those products and have been battling to keep shoppers from trading down to store brands to save money.

Procter & Gamble Co., Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Kellogg Co. all gave upbeat earnings reports and even stronger outlooks for next year on Thursday, a day that also saw the announcement that U.S. gross domestic product rose for the first time in a year.

Originally published by From news services.

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