Fourth quarter GDP rises 2.8%, the fastest growth since Q2 of 2010. Though a large percentage of the increase is a result of a buildup in inventories, consumer spending also saw an increase from the previous 2011 Q3 reading. From Q3 to Q4, consumer spending increased 2.0%, up from 1.7%.
Gross Domestic Product is a measure of the total production and consumption of goods and services in the U.S. GDP components like consumer spending, business and residential investment, and price (inflation) indexes illuminate the economy's behavior.
