U.S. first quarter growth weakest in three years

The US economy has shown its weakest performance in three years in the first quarter of 2017.

The US Commerce Department says the country’s GDP rose by point-seven percent in the first three months of 2017. The figure shows a sharp decrease compared to the 2.1 percent GDP in the previous quarter. Consumer spending has also fallen to point-three percent in the first quarter of this year over higher inflation and government delays in issuing income tax refunds. US president Donald Trump has targeted infrastructure spending, tax cuts and deregulation to boost economic growth. But economists say he will be unable to fulfill his four percent growth promise, without increases in productivity.