US government estimates last quarter's economic growth was 2.1%, unchanged from previous estimate

The U.S. economy grew at a 2.1% annual pace from April through June, extending its sturdy performance in the face of higher interest rates, the government said Thursday, leaving its previous estimate unchanged. The second-quarter expansion of the nation’s gross domestic product — its total output of goods and services — marked a modest deceleration from revised 2.2% annual growth from January through March. Consumer spending, business investment and state and local governments drove the second-quarter economic expansion. The economy and job market have shown surprising resilience even though the Federal Reserve has dramatically raised interest rates to combat inflation, which last year hit a four-decade high.