Washington, Dhu-AlHijjah 27, 1437, September 29, 2016, SPA -- The U.S. economy grew slightly faster in the spring than originally reported, aided by strength in business construction, the government reported Thursday. The Commerce Department said gross domestic product (GDP)—the broadest measure of the economy—expanded at an annual pace of 1.4 percent in the April-June quarter, up from a previous estimate of 1.1 percent growth. Much of the upward revision reflected an increase in spending on structures such as office buildings. “The most notable change from the second to third [GDP] estimate is that non-residential fixed investment increased in the second quarter,” the department said in a statement. “The increase in real GDP in the second quarter reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures, exports, and non-residential fixed investment.” The modest second-quarter gain followed weaker readings of 0.8 percent GDP growth in the first quarter and 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. However, economists believe the economy has accelerated in the current quarter, helped by strong consumer spending. In the second quarter, consumer spending—which accounts for 70 percent of U.S. economic activity—grew at a 4.3 percent rate, down slightly from the previous estimate of 4.4 percent but still the best performance since late 2014. The economy slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2015, and quarterly GDP growth has averaged only 1 percent over the past nine months. Much of the weakness reflected a sharp slowdown in the growth of inventories, as businesses with unsold goods reduced restocking their stores. Economists believe the inventory correction is largely complete, and inventory restocking will help fuel growth in the second half of this year. GDP estimates are around 3 percent for the current quarter and 2.4 percent for the fourth quarter. --SPA 18:45 LOCAL TIME 15:45 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w