The US economy grew in the three months through September, marking the first expansion in three quarters.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that gross domestic product increased at an annualized rate of 2.6 percent in the third quarter. That is a rebound from a 0.6 percent contraction in the previous three-month period.

Strong exports boosted the recovery. They surged more than 14 percent. Government spending also increased by 2.4 percent.

But growth in consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, slowed to 1.4 percent.

Some analysts pointed out that the economy is weaker than the headline figure suggests because the rebound was largely driven by exports and government spending.