WASHINGTON, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. economy is expected to grow 3.3 percent in 2010 and 2.9 percent in 2011, thanks to massive macroeconomic stimulus, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday.

"Thanks to a powerful and effective policy response, the recovery from the Great Recession has become increasingly well established," the IMF said in its latest assessment of the U.S. economic growth prospect.

"The outlook has improved in tandem with the recovery, but remaining household and financial balance sheet weaknesses -- along with elevated unemployment -- are likely to continue to restrain private spending," said the report.

The IMF expects the U.S. unemployment to remain high, averaging 9.7 percent in 2010 and slightly going down to 9.2 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, the inflation rate is expected to remain low, with 1.6 percent and 1.1 percent for this year and the next.