The slowdown in GDP growth to 1.5% annualised in the third quarter, from a very strong 3.9% in the second, was mainly due to a big drag from inventories, which subtracted 1.4% points after making a neutral contribution in the previous quarter. The growth rate of final sales to domestic purchasers, a better gauge of underlying demand that strips out inventories and net external demand, was still as high as 2.9% in the third quarter.
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