Economy grew 2.6% in the fourth quarter – USA TODAY
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Economy grew 2.6% in the fourth quarter
The economy grew more slowly in the fourth quarter as government spending fell sharply.
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Gross domestic product rose 2.6% during fourth quarter, according to numbers released Friday morning from the Commerce Department. Economists were expecting 3% and the latest reading is significantly less than the third quarter’s 5% growth. Newslook
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00:00 Gross domestic product rose two point 6% during fourth quarter 00:03 according to numbers released moments ago by the Commerce Department. House 00:06 we’re expecting a higher 3% this is much less than third 00:09 quarter 5%. Reaction to announce that bite he bullet chief economist 00:13 at ICG. To speed certainly. You know not a great reading 00:17 here but not a terrible one give us your take. Well 00:20 as a couple things first stop. You know when you look 00:23 at quarter to quarter numbers is it. Commend this matter volatility 00:26 just from things like that a lot of defense spending in 00:29 the third quarter. You weren’t gonna grow another 16% in defense 00:33 spending in the fourth quarter and that was. Already seemingly negative 00:37 bias to the quarter when you look at the underlying numbers 00:40 when you’re looking at it on a year over year basis. 00:44 Final sales to domestic producers in 2013. Was essentially the same 00:48 as it was 2012. We are. Reverting and shelling there core 00:54 rate of growth of around. 2%. Now corporate edit every piece 00:57 of economic and we’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about 01:00 the Fed’s rate hike plans. Will this do to these discipline 01:04 number is making even stronger case that the Fed should delay 01:07 a rate hike. Well I think they already know that they’ve 01:10 been delayed until September I don’t I think here there uncertain. 01:15 As to whether it and do it June or September but 01:18 I think they’re leaning a little bit more towards September. And 01:22 I think personally I think they knew this number. Early the 01:26 preliminary. Guesstimate from commerce on it and you know what they. 01:32 Saw in this number. I t was telegraphed. In this statement went 01:38 in this statement they said. It was pointed to world growth 01:42 as it is solid but the key thing is ended December 01:46 statement that growth is. In this statement that growth has been. 01:53 And that hole made that shift promote active president to have 01:56 a more passive path and our tell me that they’re not 02:00 really sure what growth is going to be and when you 02:02 dissect the fourth quarter GDP you know. You know you have 02:07 been swinging in defense spending all that. You had deflation. Outright 02:12 deflation in goods. Non durable and durable goods which helped boost 02:18 the real numbers grow the number of consumption. So when you 02:21 look underneath it all you see a slowdown. In. In. Investment 02:27 spending by businesses so it tells you that in the year 02:32 ahead unique consumers to spend. They need to spend this so 02:37 called gas tax cut. That’s number one number two you need 02:42 spending on housing if you don’t get that. It’s going to 02:46 be very tough to get 3% growth that in this economy. 02:50 In twenty. Let’s talk about your outlook for 2015 or anything 02:53 specific you’re looking at we’ve had a great run in the 02:55 past three quarters. But what are you looking at the rest 02:58 of the year. For the rest of the year we are 03:00 looking for is still looking with 3% growth. And we are 03:03 looking forward on the basis of two things. One we think 03:07 you’ve gone in yet. A very good spring quarter of war 03:12 house that house you know of them of houses at home 03:15 by. Everything in its head out for that as long as 03:20 consumers don’t los e their competence and based on all the recent 03:23 surveys it certainly confidence going into the year. So I would 03:27 expect a good housing you know six months that’s number one 03:32 number two. The slow down and out in in federal spending 03:37 and state local government spending. Should reverse and be a positive 03:41 GDP in 2015. Which will also add in those two things 03:46 alone. Should get enough growth to get us to a 3% 03:51 year in 28. Carlos talk about wages the employment cost index 03:55 was also released this morning at rose point 6% during fourth 03:59 quarter. Compared to point 7% in third quarter of course wage 04:03 growth is still out there. No it’s not an ace it’s 04:06 not a whole host of reasons in one of Willie. Is 04:10 that we are a global economy. And even though he has. 04:15 You leave your wage he has a vacant. Do what you 04:18 do someplace else in the world that naked if if you’re 04:21 wage got too hot. So even if the actual read an 04:25 important dreaded doing it overseas. Keeps wage growth lower and what’s 04:30 happening in the rest of the world. You have lower prices 04:33 you have slowed growth you have a surplus of labor everywhere 04:37 in the world. So. Unless you have a very unique skill. 04:43 Where you probably haven’t seen some decent wage growth over the 04:46 last several years for the broad. Average of people you don’t 04:52 and that’s going to keep it the the the same rules 04:56 of looking at growth and unemployment and what that means who 05:01 wages. As if we are still within this domestic only container. 05:07 It is a mistake. Or stiglitz chief economist at ITG thanks 05:11 for coming back thank you. I’ve got down under watching the
A lab worker at Assurex in Mason, Ohio.(Photo: Leigh Taylor, Cincinnati Enquirer)
The economy grew more slowly than expected in the fourth quarter as government spending fell sharply and business investment pulled back.
Gross domestic product expanded at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.6% in the three months ended Dec. 31, slowing sharply from a robust 5% pace in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday. Economists expected 3.1% growth.
For all of 2014, the economy grew 2.4%, up from 2.2% in 2013, after harsh winter weather early in the year caused the economy to shrink in the first quarter.
In the fourth quarter, consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy, grew a healthy 4.3% as plunging gasoline prices and strong job growth bolstered Americans’ confidence.
But government spending declined 7.5% as defense outlays tumbled after rising sharply in the third quarter.
Business investment increased just 1.9% as companies girded for a strengthening dollar and sluggish overseas growth that’s expected to dampen exports, and energy companies grappled with plummeting oil prices.
Exports slowed as well, rising 2.8%, while imports increased sharply as the stronger dollar made foreign products less expensive for U.S. consumers. The widening trade gap subtracted from economic growth.
Despite the slowdown, many economists expect the economy to grow a solid 3% this year.
“With the collapse in energy prices increasing households’ purchasing power, we expect strong consumption growth to continue driving GDP growth in the first half of this year,” economist Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics wrote in a note to clients.
Recent reports have shown consumer spending rising solidly in the fourth quarter despite a slowdown in retail sales last month. Measures of business investment, however, have been declining.
In the third quarter, the economy expanded at its fastest pace in 11 years on stronger consumer and business spending and an unusual surge in national defense outlays.
Many economists expected growth to slow in the fourth quarter as military expenditures declined to a more typical level.
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