The U.S. economy was a bit weaker during the summer than earlier believed as the sharpest housing-sector slump in 15 years took an even bigger toll on the slowest quarterly growth of 2006.

Gross domestic product rose at a 2% annual rate July through September, revised down from a previous estimate a month ago of 2.2% for the third quarter, the U.S. Commerce Department said today.

Economists had expected third-quarter growth to hold at 2.2%.

Commerce said the revision to GDP, a measure of all goods and services produced in the economy, mainly reflected a downward adjustment to consumer spending.

Consumer spending, the biggest component of GDP, rose 2.8%, down from a previously reported 2.9% increase but above the second quarter’s 2.6% advance. Consumer spending accounts for roughly two-thirds of economic activity. It contributed 1.96 percentage points to GDP in the third quarter.

Another GDP component that was lowered was residential fixed investment, which plunged 18.7% in the third quarter instead of the previously reported 18.0%.

Gauges measuring third-quarter inflation were either raised slightly or left alone, according to today’s data revisions. Corporate profits after taxes were revised lower.

The government’s price index for personal consumption increased at an unrevised 2.4%, which was below the second quarter’s 4% rise. The PCE price gauge excluding food and energy increased at an unchanged 2.2%, below the second quarter’s 2.7% rise. The price index for gross domestic purchases, which measures prices paid by U.S. residents, rose 2.2%.

Meanwhile, the number of U.s. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose modestly last week while continuing claims increased to their highest level in nearly one year, suggesting some slackening in U.S. labor markets.

New claims for unemployment insurance increased by 9,000 to 315,000 in the week ended Dec. 16, the U.S. Labor Department said today. The prior week’s reading was revised to 306,000 from a previously reported level of 304,000.

Economists had expected claims to rise by 16,000 to 320,000.