Consumer spending accelerated to a 3.2% pace and business investment remained strong, but an 11.5% surge in imports trimmed 1.5 percentage points from GDP growth. WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy expanded at a sluggish 1.5% pace from April through June as rising imports weighed on growth. Imports rose at an 11.5% pace, partly on a surge in shipments of computer chips and other products that support AI investment. Still, Americans remain frustrated over the high cost of living as inflation remains stubbornly stuck above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. The July 30 GDP report was the first of three Commerce Department estimates of second-quarter economic growth.