Dogged by uneasiness over trade frictions and weak global growth, the American economy’s growth inched lower over the summer. Gross domestic product — the broadest measure of goods and services produced in the economy — grew at a 1.9 percent annual rate for the third quarter, according to preliminary data released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday. There is something of a tug-of-war going on between consumers, who continue to spend, and businesses, which have sharply pulled back on investment. The year started out with a surge, but the pace of growth declined in the spring and again over the period that spanned July, August and September. While the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates later in the day, to keep a slowdown from turning into a slide, several analysts emphasized that the economy remained rooted in solid ground. “If I saw cracks in the consumer sector, I would be […]