Washington ? The U.S. economy, jolted last fall by the terrorist attacks, managed to eke out a small increase in the final three months of the year in a surprising sign that the recession could be ending.

A 0.2 percent growth rate for the gross domestic product the country’s total output of goods and services and other positive developments were enough to persuade the Federal Reserve to call a cease-fire Wednesday in its yearlong campaign to reduce interest rates.

“The outlook for economic recovery has become more promising,” the Fed said in a brief statement.

The Fed’s decision left the federal funds rate the interest that banks charge each other unchanged at a 40-year low of 1.75 percent, as it capped one of the most aggressive credit-easing campaigns in Fed history.

Starting Jan. 3 of last year, the Fed cut rates 11 times, with the last occurring Dec. 11. The reductions, which pushed down banks’ prime lending rates to a 36-year low of 4.75 percent, were aimed at encouraging consumer and business borrowing to jump-start the weak economy.

The Commerce Department’s GDP report showed the growth rate in the October-December quarter came from the biggest increase in government spending in 15 years and a strong rise in consumer spending.

The third quarter, which included the weeks immediately following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, showed GDP falling at an annual rate of 1.3 percent after a 0.3 percent gain in the second quarter.