US National Association for Business Economics poll of 50 professional forecasters:
- estimated a 3.1% GDP for this year (vs. 2.2% to 2.4% range of the prior three years)
- "Healthier consumer spending, housing investment and government spending growth are expected to make outsized contributions to the projected acceleration in overall economic activity," said John Silvia, chief economist of Wells Fargo and NABE president
- Survey conducted February 25 - March 12
- Economists polled by NABE expect a strong labor market and cheaper gasoline to fuel consumer spending, a key economic driver
- Last March, the forecasters expected 2.8% growth for 2014. It was 2.4%
