US economy grew a sluggish 0.5% in fourth quarter, government says, downgrading previous estimate

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American economy, slowed by last fall's 43-day government shutdown, grew at a sluggish 0.5% annual pace from October through December, the Commerce Department reported Thursday in downgrade of its previous estimate. U.S. gross domestic product — the nation's output of goods and services — decelerated in the fourth quarter after registering [...]