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THURSDAY, December 5, 2013

GDP GROWTH PICKS UP IN THIRD QUARTER
Growth Revised Up in Second Estimate
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 3.6 percent in the third quarter of 2013, according to the “second”
estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.8 percentage point more than the
“advance” estimate released the previous month. In the second quarter, the growth rate was 2.5 percent.
Quarter-to-Quarter Growth in Real GDP
6

4
Percent

GDP highlights
In the third quarter, inventory investment picked
up notably, accounting for nearly half of real
GDP growth. In the second quarter, inventory
investment accounted for less than one-fifth of
growth. GDP less inventory investment (real
final sales of domestic product) rose only 1.9
percent in the third quarter, compared with 2.1
percent in the second quarter.

2

0

Also contributing to the stepup in real GDP
growth, imports rose less in the third quarter
than in the second quarter. State and local government spending picked up.

-2
IV
2009

I

II III
2010

IV

I

II III
2011

IV

I

II III
2012

IV

I

II III
2013

Real GDP growth is measured at seasonally adjusted annual rates

Offsetting these movements, exports, consumer
spending, and business investment each grew at a slower rate in the third quarter than in the second quarter.
Revisions
The upward revision to third quarter GDP growth was more than accounted for by an upward revision to inventory
investment, which reflected newly available Census Bureau data. Strong upward revisions to wholesale trade, retail
trade, and mining inventory investment accounted for most of the revision.
Business investment was also revised up, mainly reflecting an upward revision to equipment investment.

Corporate profits
Growth in BEA’s featured measure of corporate
profits slowed in the third quarter, increasing 1.8
percent after increasing 3.3 percent in the second
quarter.

Quarter-to-Quarter Growth in Corporate Profits
20
15
10

Profits of nonfinancial corporations rose 1.1
percent after rising 3.2 percent.
 Profits of financial corporations rose 1.9
percent after rising 5.7 percent.
 Profits from the “rest of the world” rose 4.1
percent after rising 1.2 percent.

Percent



5
0
-5

-10

Over the last 4 quarters, corporate profits rose
5.6 percent.

IV

2009

I

II

III

2010

IV

I

II

III

2011

IV

I

II

III

IV

I

2012

II

III

2013

Corporate profits growth is measured as the percent change from the previous quarter.

BEA data—including GDP, personal income, the balance of payments, foreign direct investment, the input-output accounts, and economic
data for states, local areas, and industries—are available on the BEA Web site: www.bea.gov. E-mail alerts are also available.
NOTE: The “third” estimate of GDP and a revised estimate of corporate profits for the third quarter will be released on December 20, 2013.
Contact: Jeannine Aversa (202) 606-2649

Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce