Washington - US economic growth in the first quarter was revised up by a tenth of a point to a 1.9% annual pace, the government said in its final estimate of output.
The Commerce Department's slight upward revision in gross domestic product (GDP) from the prior estimate of 1.8% growth was just above analyst expectations for no change in the figure.
Still, the January-March growth rate confirms a sharp
deceleration of the world's largest economy from a 3.1% pace in the fourth
quarter of 2010.
The department's third estimate for GDP reflected a downward
revision to imports and an upward revision to inventory investment, offset by downward revisions to exports, housing and state and local
government spending.
Consumer spending remained the key driver of economic
activity, rising at a 2.2% pace and contributing 1.52% points to growth.
Business investment and inventory building also contributed
to growth, but government and housing spending pulled down the pace of
expansion.
Analysts expect some improvement in the second quarter which began in April but not enough to make a major change in the unemployment rate, which was 9.1% in May.