Hope and change: U.S. economy grew 3.5% in third quarter

The US economy last expanded in the second quarter of 2008, when it grew 2.4%.

“It’s good to have the economy growing again,” said Brian Bethune, economist at IHS Global Insight.

“But we don’t think that rate of growth is sustainable because it is distorted by all the government stimulus.

“The challenge here is to get organic growth – growth that isn’t helped by fiscal steroids.”