Even with the purchases, the economy grew in the first six months of this year at the weakest pace since the recovery started in 2009. After almost stalling at a 0.4 percent annual pace in the first three months of this year, the economy expanded at a 1.3 percent rate last quarter, the government reported on July 29.
"I'm sure they're facing a tough decision here about what steps they should take," said Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James & Associates Inc. in St. Petersburg, Florida. "These things are kind of marginal at this point, but every little bit would help."