US Economy strong

Chicago Tribune | '04 growth strongest in 5 years; 4th period tops estimate Not much you can say about this, the numbers speak for themselves.

GDP grew 4.4 percent last year, its strongest showing in five years.

Of course the economy grew slower than that in the 4th quarter - that rate is not sustainable. After several years of holding back on purchases, Americans and American companies had some pent-up demand to work through. But the 3.8 percent growth in the 4th quarter is still quite healthy.