 Meanwhile, ahead of tonight's debate, the U.S. economy's performance in the first three months of the year didn't turn any heads. The government's latest estimate of first quarter annual growth rose slightly to a paltry 1.4%. The increase in GDP was the smallest in nearly two years. Good news, though, U.S. stocks finished today's session higher. The Dow Jones Industrial gained 36 points. The Nasdaq Composite was up 53%.