GDP growth sharply slows to 1.4%, less than half of fourth quarter expectations

U.S. economic growth slowed in the final three months of last year, dragged down by the six-week shutdown of the federal government and a pullback in consumer spending.

The nation’s gross domestic product — the output of goods and services — increased at a 1.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter, the Commerce Department reported Friday, down from 4.4% in the July-September quarter and 3.8% in the quarter before that.

Consumer spending rose just 2.4%, a significant slowdown from the third quarter’s healthy 3.5% gain.

The report also underscores an odd aspect of the U.S. economy:........

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