26 Feb 2010 Economy Fools Government, Economists, and Consumers

Today’s news from the government comes as welcome relief after a week of sub-par economic reports. The economy’s fourth quarter expansion of 5.9%, higher than initially reported, ranks as the best performance in six years, according to the Department of Commerce. The government’s initial estimate last month was 5.7%, where economists pegged the quarter’s growth. But the group most surprised is undoubtedly the US consumer whose dour mood unsettled investors earlier this week.