U.S. final Q4 GDP seen confirming slump

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. growth data due on Thursday will confirm the slump the economy entered in the fourth quarter, according to a Reuters poll.

Economists polled by Reuters predicted the final fourth-quarter reading would confirm gross domestic product grew by just 0.6 percent, slowing almost to a halt from the rapid pace of 4.9 percent in the previous three months.

The 74 estimates ranged from growth of 0.5 percent to 0.8 percent in GDP, which measures total goods and service output in the United States.

This will be the third and final reading on fourth quarter GDP and is due at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday.

The following is a selection of economists' comments:

ACTION ECONOMICS

Forecast: +0.7 pct

"We expect a small upward bump in the final Q4 GDP reading to 0.7 percent from the 0.6 percent gain revealed in the preliminary and advanced reports. The upward boost should include a $3 billion boost to net exports from revisions in the trade report, and a $1.5 billion boost to inventories, alongside a $3 billion downward revision to construction."

UBS