The latest estimates of U.S. production indicate that the U.S. economy has long passed from of a condition of economic recovery from the minor recession of 2001 into resurgence and sustainable robust growth. The revised estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the real GDP for the fourth quarter of 2004 indicates a continuing growth at an annual rate of 3.8 %. This is in line with revised estimates by the Bureau of real GDP growth of 4.5 percent for the for the first quarter of 2004, 3.3 percent for the second quarter, and 4.0 percent for the third quarter. This brings the value of the real GDP for the entire year of 2004 to a level that is 4.4 percent higher than that of 2003.
These recent rates of growth are strongly indicative of the U.S. economy being back on track and and growing at rates that can be sustained for an extended period of time. These rates are appropriate for a mature industrial economy.