Middling along: U.S. economy

The economy is ok, not great.

Corporate profits look like Harry Reid's face.

You, the consumer, spend well.  Happy Easter.  PB
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From Reuters.com:

U.S. economic growth cooled in the fourth quarter and after-tax corporate profits took a hit from a strong dollar, which could undermine future business spending.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.2 percent annual rate...

After-tax corporate profits declined at a 1.6 percent rate last quarter...

Multinationals such as technology giant IBM, semiconductor maker Intel Corp, industrial conglomerate Honeywell and Procter & Gamble, the world's largest household products maker, have warned that the dollar will hurt their profits this year...

For all of 2014, after-tax corporate profits fell 8.3 percent, the largest annual drop since 2008.

Economists had expected fourth-quarter GDP growth would be revised up to a 2.4 percent rate and after-tax corporate profits would rise at a 1 percent pace...

But consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, increased at a 4.4 percent rate in the fourth quarter instead of the 4.2 percent rate reported last month.

It was the fastest pace since the first quarter of 2006.

Consumer spending, however, moderated early in the first quarter as cold and snowy weather kept shoppers at home.

Households also appear to have opted to save the bulk of their savings from lower gasoline prices.
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Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/27/us-usa-economy-idUSKBN0MN1H820150327