Voice of America, 30 July 2010

A flurry of government and private reports on Friday show U.S. economic growth slowing and consumer confidence falling.

Friday's Commerce Department report says the gross domestic product grew just 2.4 percent in the second quarter - much slower than the first three months of the year.

The GDP is the broadest measure of the nation's economic health, and many economists predict GDP growth will slow further in the rest of 2010.

A University of Michigan study shows consumers are also becoming more pessimistic. The latest data show consumer sentiment dropping more than eight percentage points to a reading of 67.8.

Worried consumers are less likely to spend money on new products and services, so economists watch consumer attitudes closely. Consumer demand drives most activity in the world's largest economy.

A separate report by a private research group shows business activity expanding in the U.S. Midwest.