US economic growth weaker than thought in fourth quarter with government shutdown, consumer pullback

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By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and MATT OTT, AP Economics Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. economic growth slowed in the final three months of last year, dragged down by the six-week shutdown of the federal government and a pullback in consumer spending.

The nation’s gross domestic product — the total output of goods and services — increased at a 1.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter, the Commerce Department reported Friday, down from 4.4% in the July-September quarter and 3.8% in the quarter before that.

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