WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy grew at an anemic 1.9 percent rate in the fourth quarter, unchanged from an initial estimate, although consumers performed better than first thought.
The increase in the gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic health, represented a significant slowdown from 3.5 percent growth in the third quarter. The Commerce Department said consumer spending grew at a faster rate than initial estimates, but spending by state and local governments and businesses equipment purchases were weaker.
Growth for 2016 overall was just 1.6 percent, the poorest showing in five years. Since the recession ended in mid-2009, annual growth has averaged 2.1 percent, the worst performance for any recovery in the post-World War II period.
President Trump vowed during the campaign to double economic growth to 4 percent or better. He said his economic program of tax cuts, deregulation and increased spending in such areas as the military and infrastructure would boost the economy back to growth rates not seen on a sustained basis in decades.
However, Trump’s Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has cited a lower projection of around 3 percent growth.
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