The U.S. economy grew more than initially appreciated in the third quarter, extending a solid stretch of economic expansion.

GDP increased at an annualized rate of 3.1% in the three months through September, the Commerce Department said Thursday, greater than the 2.8% seen in earlier estimates. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had been expecting a smaller upward revision, to 2.9% growth.

The revised figures mean that the economy accelerated in the third quarter, compared with 3% growth in three months through June.

Early indications suggest the economy could be on track to sustain that momentum in the final three months of 2024. The Atlanta Fed’s real-time GDP estimator suggests growth at a 3.2% annualized pace in the fourth quarter.

The Commerce Department attributed the substantial upward revision to greater exports and stronger consumer spending than was captured in earlier estimates—offset by a downward revision to investment in private inventories.