The economy grew at an annualized 2.0 percent in the July-September period -- roughly twice as fast as the average forecast -- as strong corporate spending and exports offset weak private consumption, the Cabinet Office said Tuesday.
The gross domestic product, the widest measure of economic activity, grew 0.5 percent from the previous quarter. It was the seventh straight quarterly rise.
The figures were much stronger than the average market forecast of 0.2 percent quarterly growth and 1.0 percent annualized expansion.