Economic growth in the third quarter likely slowed because of the Delta variant of Covid-19, which is now abating, and supply-chain constraints that could persist into next year.
Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal estimated that gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.8% in July through September. Such a pace would exceed the 2.3% growth rate clocked in the year preceding the pandemic, but mark a sharp slowdown from robust gains earlier this year. The Commerce Department is scheduled to release its estimate of U.S. GDP at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.
