Pacific Investment Management Co., the manager of the world’s biggest bond mutual fund, lowered its expectations for U.S. economic growth this year because of the impact of a strong U.S. dollar and a slowdown in spending among energy companies. Pimco sees economic expansion of 2.5 percent to 3 percent, Rich Clarida, global strategic adviser, and Andrew Balls, chief investment officer for global fixed income, said in a report on the Newport Beach, California-based company’s website today. That’s down from its 2.75 percent to 3.25 percent projection in December. “Our baseline view remains that the U.S. is on track for solid if not spectacular above-trend growth,” they wrote in the outlook, formulated after a quarterly meeting that included experts such as former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke. Pimco said a stronger labor market and falling oil prices are a positive for U.S. consumers despite headwinds from sluggish […]