The U.S. economy grew at a 2 percent annual rate in the third quarter as consumer spending climbed the most in almost four years, a sign the expansion is developing staying power.

Dish Network Corp. customers in some cities may face their own Fox blackout next week, as the satellite company feuds with Fox parent News Corp. over programming fees ahead of a Halloween contract deadline.

The Obama administration cut taxes for middle-class Americans, expects to make a profit on the hundreds of billions of dollars spent to rescue Wall Street banks and has overseen an economy that has grown for the past five quarters.