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Gross Domestic Product
Fourth Quarter of 2018 (Initial Estimate)
February 28, 2019
This technical note provides background information about the source data and estimating methods
used to produce the estimates presented in the GDP news release. The complete set of estimates for
the fourth quarter is available on BEA's Web site at www.bea.gov; a brief summary of "highlights" is also
posted on the Web site. In a few weeks, the Survey of Current Business, BEA’s online monthly journal,
will publish a more detailed analysis of the estimates ("GDP and the Economy").
Key Source Data and Assumptions for the Initial Estimate
The partial federal government shutdown that occurred in late December and January resulted in delays
of many of the principal source data that are used to produce estimates of GDP. This “initial” estimate of
GDP for the fourth quarter of 2018 reflects a combination of data and methods that are typically used
for both the “advance” and “second” current quarterly estimates. As a result, the initial fourth quarter
estimate is based on source data that are incomplete and subject to updates. Three months of source
data were available for consumer spending on goods; shipments of capital equipment; motor vehicle
sales and inventories; durable and nondurable goods manufacturing inventories; wholesale and retail
trade inventories; exports and imports of goods; federal government outlays; and consumer, producer,
and international prices. For public and private construction spending and for exports and imports of
services, October and November data were incorporated. For consumer spending on services, quarterly
data on revenue and expenses for services industries were not available. For major source data series
for which only two months of data were available, BEA's key assumptions for the third month are shown
in the "Key Source Data and Assumptions" table on the BEA Web site.
Real GDP and Related Aggregates
Real GDP increased 2.6 percent (annual rate) in the fourth quarter of 2018, following an increase of 3.4
percent in the third. The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected increases in
consumer spending, nonresidential fixed investment, exports, and private inventory investment that
were partly offset by a decrease in residential investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the
calculation of GDP, increased.
The slowdown in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter primarily reflected decelerations in private
inventory investment and consumer spending that were partly offset by a deceleration in imports and
an upturn in exports.
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Within private inventory investment, the leading contributors to the slowdown were
manufacturing and wholesale trade industries.
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The slowdown in consumer spending reflected decelerations in both services and goods. Within
services, the leading contributor was food services and accommodations. Within goods, the
slowdown was widespread within nondurable goods, except for gasoline and motor fuels, which
increased after decreasing in the third quarter.
The slowdown in imports was led by downturns in imports of petroleum and products and in
non-automotive capital goods.
Within exports, the leading contributors to the upturn were petroleum and products and nonautomotive capital goods. In contrast, foods, feeds, and beverages decreased more in the fourth
quarter than in the third.
Partial Federal Government Shutdown
Due to a lapse in appropriations, some federal government agencies were closed and some employees
were furloughed from December 22nd through January 25th. The full effects of the partial federal
government shutdown on the fourth quarter estimates cannot be quantified because they are
embedded in the regular source data that underlie the estimates and cannot be separately identified.
However, BEA did estimate the effects of a reduction in the labor services supplied by federal employees
and a reduction in intermediate purchases of goods and services by nondefense agencies. BEA estimates
the impact of these reductions in services provided by the federal government subtracted about 0.1
percentage point from real GDP growth in the fourth quarter. Congress authorized back pay for
furloughed federal employees. As a result, the shutdown had no impact on current-dollar federal
compensation and was reflected as a temporary increase in the prices paid for federal employee
compensation. For more information, an FAQ is available on BEA’s Web site.
Prices
BEA's featured measure of inflation in the U.S. economy, the price index for gross domestic purchases,
measures the prices of goods and services purchased by U.S. residents, regardless of where the goods
and services are produced. In the fourth quarter, this index increased 1.6 percent, compared with a 1.8
percent increase in the third. Excluding food and energy, gross domestic purchases prices increased 1.8
percent, the same increase as in the third.
The PCE price index increased 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter, following an increase of 1.6 percent.
Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 1.7 percent after increasing 1.6 percent.
Disposable Personal Income and Wages and Salaries in the Third and Fourth Quarters
In addition to presenting initial estimates for the fourth quarter, today's release presents revised
estimates of third-quarter wages and salaries, personal taxes, and contributions for government social
insurance. Wages and salaries are now estimated to have increased $108.4 billion in the third quarter of
2018, an upward revision of $13.6 billion. These estimates reflect new wage and salary tabulations for
the third quarter from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. As a result, real disposable
income (DPI) in now estimated to have increased 2.6 percent in the third quarter, an upward revision of
0.2 percentage point. Real gross domestic income (GDI) is now estimated to have increased 4.6 percent
in the third quarter, an upward revision of 0.3 percentage point.
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For the fourth quarter, real DPI increased 4.2 percent. The personal saving rate was 6.7 percent in the
fourth quarter, compared with 6.4 percent in the third (revised).
Impact of California Wildfires on Fourth Quarter 2018 Estimates
In November of 2018, wildfires burned across the state of California. These natural disasters disrupted
consumption and business activities while provision of emergency and remediation services increased in
response to the disaster. These impacts on production are included, but not separately identified, in the
source data that BEA uses to prepare the estimates of GDP; consequently, it is not possible to estimate
the overall impact of the California wildfires on 2018 fourth quarter GDP.
The destruction of fixed assets, such as residential and nonresidential structures, does not directly affect
GDP or personal income. BEA estimates disaster losses in NIPA table 5.1, “Saving and Investment.” BEA's
preliminary estimates show that the California wildfires resulted in losses of $16.0 billion in privatelyowned fixed assets ($64.0 billion at an annual rate).
BEA also estimates the insurance benefits paid and received as a result of major disasters. These
benefits are recorded on an accrual basis in the quarter in which the disaster occurred and are classified
as capital transfers; they do not directly affect the measures of GDP, personal income, or saving. BEA’s
preliminary estimates, presented in NIPA table 5.11U, “Capital Transfers,” show domestic insurance
companies expect to pay benefits for disaster losses related to the California wildfires in the amount of
$6.3 billion ($25.4 billion at an annual rate), and foreign insurance companies expect to pay $8.9 billion
($35.4 billion at an annual rate).
For additional information, see "How are the measures of production and income in the national
accounts affected by a natural or man-made disaster?”
Modifications to Estimate Release Schedule
BEA will release an updated estimate of fourth quarter GDP and estimates of Gross Domestic Income
and Corporate Profits on March 28, 2019. However, many of the principal source data used in
constructing the estimates are subject to delay. For more information on BEA’s updated data release
schedule, please check https://www.bea.gov/news/schedule.
Erich H. Strassner
Associate Director, National Economic Accounts
Bureau of Economic Analysis
(301) 278-9612
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