Fourth-quarter US GDP is expected to increase 2.0% in next week’s initial report from the government, according to The Capital Spectator’s average econometric nowcast. That’s up from the previous 1.6% nowcast published on January 7. The higher nowcast reflects several upbeat economic reports for December data that have been published over the last two weeks. The official Q4 data is scheduled for release on January 30, when the Bureau of Economic Analysis will publish its initial GDP estimate for the last three months of 2012. (All GDP percentage changes cited are quoted as real seasonally adjusted annual rates.)