Growth in Japan halved in the third quarter compared to the previous reading, the country's government reported overnight, with weaker consumption and exports pushing growth down.
The US economy has been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent months.
The Bank of England is expected to raise its growth forecast for the UK to 3% following the strong recovery the country has seen.
US non-farm payroll numbers came in at almost double analysts' estimates in October, despite the 16-day government shutdown.
Economic thinktank the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) has forecast the economy will grow by 1.4% this year.