Wharton Professor and author Jeremy Siegel says he thinks the U.S. economic recovery will surprise to the upside, with 3.5% GDP growth in the fourth quarter and 4% to 5% growth in the first half of 2010.

Siegel tells Bloomberg that he believes that by December or January the U.S. will see its first positive payroll reading. “Once that turns positive, I think that’s going to remove an element of fear” that has plagued Americans, he says, triggering spending and growth.

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