Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.5% in the third quarter of 2011 compared to a 1.3% increase in the second quarter according to the estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The increase in real GDP in the third quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures, nonresidential fixed investment, exports, and federal government spending that were partly offset by negative contributions from private inventoryinvestment and state and local government spending.

Final sales of computers added 0.21% to the third-quarter change in real GDPafter adding 0.07% to the second-quarter change. Motor vehicle output added 0.07%to the third-quarter change in real GDP after subtracting 0.10% from the second-quarter change.

The report indicates contributions to the percent change in real GDP was positively impacted by fixed investment in industrial equipment while fixed investment in transportation equipment was flat.

Real personal consumption expenditures increased 2.4% in the third quarter, compared with an increase of 0.7%in the second. Durable goods increased 4.1%, in contrast to a decrease of 5.3%.