US GDP contracts 0.3pc in Q1

(Sharecast News) - America's economy contracted at an annualised rate of 0.3% in the three months ended 31 March, according to a preliminary reading from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the first decline since Q122 and a sharp reversal from the 2.4% growth rate seen in Q4. The Q1 contraction, which puts the US on the brink of a technical recession, was principally driven by a 41.3% surge in imports as both businesses and consumers looked to stockpile goods in order to get ahead of 2 April's "Liberation Day" tariff announcements by Donald Trump, who was wrapping up his first 100 days in office on Wednesday . Economists had been expecting to see a 0.3% increase in GDP during Q1.

"The decrease in real GDP in the first quarter primarily reflected an increase in imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, and a decrease in government spending. These movements were partly offset by increases in investment, consumer spending, and exports," said the BEA.

Elsewhere, consumer spending rose 1.8% and federal government spending declined 5.1%, which was the biggest decrease since Q122.







Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com