国际英语资讯:Yearender: U.S. economy could slow down in 2019 amid risks: economists_时事

国际英语资讯:Yearender: U.S. economy could slow down in 2019 amid risks: economists

"We expect tighter financial conditions and a fading fiscal stimulus to be the key drivers of the deceleration," said Hatzius.

The bank saw the economy expanding at 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, down from 3.5 percent in the third quarter. Real GDP growth will come in at 2.5 percent again in the first quarter of 2019, but then will slow to 2.2 percent, 1.8 percent and 1.6 percent in the next three quarters, respectively.

2018 has roughly been a banner year for the world's largest economy, especially in the second and third quarters, thanks largely to federal spending and tax cut.

U.S. GDP rose at an annual pace of 3.4 percent and at 4.2 percent in the second quarter, the Department of Commerce said late December in its third estimate.

The economy has been firing on most of its cylinders, as consumers spent more, companies invested in inventories, and local governments maintained their spending, said the department.

While many barometers for U.S. economy still look encouraging -- unemployment near a half-century low, inflation tame, pay growth picked up, and consumers spending robust in this holiday season -- economists cautioned the looming of headwinds.

Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, warned recently that the falling stock market reflects multiple hazards that can feed on themselves.

"What really matters is how people perceive these headwinds - and right now markets and investors perceive them as leading us into a recessionary environment," Daco was quoted by The Associated Press.