The economy in the U.S. probably expanded in the fourth quarter at the fastest pace of 2011 as consumer spending picked up and companies rebuilt stockpiles, economists said before a report today. Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced, grew at a 3 percent annual pace after advancing 1.8 percent in the previous three months, according to the median forecast of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Household purchases, which account for about 70 percent of the economy, may have climbed 2.4 percent, the survey showed. Americans returned to auto showrooms and malls last quarter to ... (full story)