Fed Survey Finds Growth Widespread The final weeks of 2011 were the economy's strongest since it appeared to be slipping toward recession in late spring, according to a national survey released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve. Consumers spent more freely, factories made more goods, Americans stepped up travel and the auto industry enjoyed its best stretch of the year, the report showed. In its beige book report, the Fed said all but one of its 12 banking districts experienced some growth from late November through the end of the year. The Fed noted that some sectors of the economy, notably housing, remain weak. But overall, the message was encouraging. It came just six months after the economy nearly stalled under the weight of high food and gas prices and supply disruptions out of Japan that slowed American manufacturing. The economy and the job market have both picked up since then. And December may end up being the strongest month last year, an optimistic sign for the economy in 2012. Employers added 200,000 net jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest in nearly three years. Most economists are predicting that the economy grew at an annual rate of 3 percent in the final three months of last year. That would be an improvement from the summer, when the economy expanded just 1.8 percent, and much better than the 0.9 percent growth in the first half of the year. Still, the modest recovery is vulnerable to setbacks. Europe's debt crisis could lower demand for exports from the United States. Consumers could pull back on spending, especially if they continue to see little growth in wages. And Congress could decide not to extend the Social Security tax cut or long-term unemployment benefits, both of which expire at the end of February. That would leave many households with less income, which would slow spending. Consumer spending is important because it drives 70 percent of economic activity.