Wall Street Journal (10/09/14) Kathleen Madigan

Faster job growth, stronger consumer confidence, and falling energy prices in the U.S. are expected to help the economy expand into the next year, according to a Wall Street Journal panel of 46 economists. The panel estimated that the economy grew at an annual rate of 3.2% in the third quarter and will expand at a 3.0% pace in the fourth quarter. The panel also said the labor market is improving faster than it expected just a few months ago. Job growth likely will average 214,000 a month over the next year, and the unemployment rate is likely to decline to 5.4% by the end of 2015.