Gas prices, which are still rising, curbed consumer spending during the first quarter of the year.

The economy slowed sharply in the first three months of the year as high gas prices cut into consumer spending,
bad weather delayed construction projects and the federal government slashed defense spending by the most in six
years.Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other economists say the slowdown last quarter is a temporary
setback. They generally agree that gas prices will stabilize and the economy will grow at a 3 percent pace in
each of the next three quarters.