US economic growth improves to 2 percent rate in third quarter on defense, consumer spending By Washington Examiner FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedinEmailPrint October 26, 2012 12:30 pm FacebookTwitterWhatsAppLinkedinEmailPrint WASHINGTON (AP) — US economic growth improves to 2 percent rate in third quarter on defense, consumer spending. Recommended Stories NPR and PBS federal funding halted as GOP ignores Democrats' shutdown demands‘Cancel Netflix’: Elon Musk echoes conservative boycott and ends his own subscriptionTrump says soybean farmers hit by tariffs will receive some revenue for aid Related Content Entertainment ICE could attend Super Bowl after Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny announced as halftime performer Crime Navy civilian employee faked active shooter threat to ‘trauma bond’ with co-workers Business NPR and PBS federal funding halted as GOP ignores Democrats’ shutdown demands White House Trump slashes funding for blue state projects as shutdown clash escalates House Clinton and Harris slam Trump and GOP over government shutdown