<p>Economists are nudging higher their projections for economic growth early next year, suggesting they are becoming more confident the recovery is sustainable.</p>
<p>Among 53 economists who participated in The Wall Street Journal Online's November economic-forecasting survey, the average forecast for the inflation-adjusted, annualized growth rate of the nation's gross domestic product during the first quarter of 2004 was 4.1%. That was revised up from the 3.9% rate predicted when the group was last surveyed in October.</p>