Real GDP growth reached 4.1% in the third quarter of 2013, and fourth-quarter growth appears to have been relatively strong, driven by a dramatic rise in housing starts and industrial production. The sharp increases in the prices of homes and equities contributed to a roughly $6 trillion rise in real household wealth in the 12 months ending in September 2013 – a harbinger of increased consumer spending (at least by higher-wealth households) in 2014.