President Donald Trump says he thinks gross domestic product growth in the next quarter "could be in the 5s" that is, higher than 5 per cent as he hosts business leaders at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf resort.
Trump made the bold prediction today at a dinner with leaders from FedEx, Mastercard, Boeing, Fiat Chrysler, PepsiCo and other companies.
Trump is also hailing his own economic and trade policies, saying he is "taking our economy to incredible new heights" in spite of fears of damage from the escalating trade disputes he has provoked.
The government reported last month that the economy grew at an annual rate of 4.1 per cent in the second quarter, the fastest pace in nearly four years.