Just as the second-quarter plunge in output was the biggest in seven decades of data, so too was the third-quarter rebound: Gross domestic product grew 7.4%, a quarterly gain that equals an annualized pace of 33.1%, the Commerce Department's initial estimate showed Thursday.
The figure topped economists' estimates for a 32% increase, which was already well above forecasts three months ago for an 18% gain. Personal spending fueled the surge in growth, climbing an annualized 40.7%, also a record, while business investment and housing also posted strong increases.
