Even before the omicron variant appeared, consumer optimism was being tested by price spikes
Growth could surge to an 8% rate in the fourth quarter, some economists say
Growth dipped 0.3 percentage-points to 60.8% last month
The U.S. economy slowed sharply to a 2% annual growth rate in the July-September period
The figure is the second-highest on record but an improvement over 2020
The overall outlook for near-term economic activity remained positive
The managing director warned of higher inflation and lack of access to vaccines in many countries
Increased consumer spending contributed to the change
The lower-than-expected reading should ensure the Fed leaves its interest rate unchanged at next week's meeting
The U.S. economic pullback reflects concerns about the delta variant