Growth picks up

Friday, April 25, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. economy, frozen at the start of the year by war anxieties, still managed to eke out growth at an annual rate of 1.6 percent in the first three months, easing fears that the country could be headed for a double-dip recession.

The Commerce Department reported today that the first-quarter increase in output of the gross domestic product -- the broadest measure of economic health -- was slightly better than the 1.4 percent rate of growth turned in during the October-December period last year.

The strength in the first three months came from a narrowing of the nation's trade deficit, strong housing construction and consumer purchases of clothing, food and other nondurable items that offset a drop in sales of cars and other durable goods.

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