According to ICIS news,the US recession has ended, but the subsequent recovery will likely be moderate.Economists expect the GDP to grow by 2.9% in the second half of 2009, according to the survey by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE). The economy had contracted by 6.4% in the first quarter, and 0.7% in the second. The downturn in the housing market has nearly ended after persisting for more than three years . The housing industry should start growing substantially in 2010. However, the economists expect the recovery to be muted, in contrast with previous recessions, the group said. Economists were concerned about growing federal debt and the nation's unemployment rate, the group said. The US unemployment rate will likely reach 10% in the first quarter of 2010 and fall to 9.5% by the end of the year.