Critical Reasoning (CR) | Re: The U.S. economy, still by far the largest in the world, looks certain

The U.S. economy, still by far the largest in the world, looks certain to slow this year. Its housing market slipped last year and the house price boom of recent years is a distant memory. House building has slumped, prices are down everywhere and a lot of newly built homes are standing empty.

Which of the following best completes the passage?

(1) But other parts of the American economy appear to have taken up the slack.
(2) But the housing sector is expected to boom any time now.
(3) But the