Economy

Corporate Profits, Exports Boost US GDP

The first revision to real gross domestic product (GDP) for the second quarter was reported Thursday morning. The first estimate reported a sharp increase in real GDP of 4.0%, which was up from the first quarter when GDP decreased by 2.1%.

When the first GDP report for the second quarter was released, there was an expected gain of about 3.1%. The revision came in at 4.2%, just above the Bloomberg estimate of 4.0%, while Dow Jones had pegged the estimate at 3.8%.

Even with this slight increase in the GDP estimate, the big economic picture remains basically unchanged. It would appear that most economists are not second-guessing the number going forward and that the future revision will remain in this range.

Corporate spending and profits had a big effect on this revision. Corporate spending increased $154.9 billion in the second quarter compared to a decrease of $201.7 billion in the first.

Real nonresidential fixed investment increased 8.4% in the second quarter, which leaped over the first quarter’s 1.6% posting.

Exports of goods and services increased 10.1%, compared to the decrease of 9.2% in the first quarter.

The GDP price index rose 2.1%, which is just above the estimate of 2.0%. The GDP price index remains relatively unchanged from the previous estimate.

READ ALSO: 10 Best-Paying Jobs for High School Graduates

Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.