if you look at the atlanta fed now forecast,  wall st had an estimate well below 3.5%, and the fed started out with a forecast close to 5%,  and the two kept revising, and coming together. the fed figure just a couple weeks ago was closer to 4%.  

so 3.5% does not surprise me,  they met in the middle.  but it is still far better than the sub 2% we sometimes got as obama left office.  

i am not sure how much of the current jump is due to tax cuts,  and how muchof it is companies rushing to beat the tarrifs that kick in jan 1 ...