The economy continued to grow during FY 2011. Consumer spending rose at a moderate pace. Residential investment grew on a fiscal year basis for the first time since FY 2005, and nonresidential investment strengthened slightly. Job creation accelerated in FY 2011, with the economy adding about million private nonfarm payroll jobs (after creating nearly 350,000 private nonfarm payroll jobs during the previous fiscal year). Overall inflation increased during the course of the year, reflecting higher energy and food prices. The core inflation rate (which excludes food and energy) also increased from the previous fiscal.
