Strong consumer spending helps the US economy grow at a faster rate than expected.

Strong consumer spending helps the US economy grow at a faster rate than expected.

The U.S. economy grew at a much greater-than-expected pace in the third quarter, boosted by strong consumer spending, a delayed report released Tuesday showed.

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 4.3% in the third quarter, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The world's largest economy grew in the third quarter as consumer spending picked up, according to the latest GDP report.

The surprisingly strong growth ‘reflected increases in consumer spending, exports and government spending’, according to officials. Key US politics stories from Tuesday 23 December