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Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Contact: Jeannine Aversa, (301) 278‐9003

GDP INCREASES IN THIRD QUARTER
“Second” estimate of GDP
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 3.2 percent in the third quarter of 2016, according to the
“second” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The growth rate was 0.3 percentage
point higher than the “advance” estimate released in October. In the second quarter, real GDP rose 1.4
percent.
Quarter‐to‐Quarter Growth in Real GDP

6

4
Percent

Third‐quarter GDP highlights
The increase in real GDP partly reflected an
increase in consumer spending on household
services, notably on housing and utilities.
Consumer spending on durable goods also
increased, notably on motor vehicles and
parts. However, spending on nondurable
goods declined.

2

0

‐2
Exports of goods increased, notably in foods,
Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3
feeds, and beverages and in consumer
2012
2013
2014
2015
Real GDP growth is measured at seasonally adjusted annual rates.
durable goods. Exports of services increased,
mainly in travel. In addition, private inventory
investment and federal government spending increased.

Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3

2016

Offsetting these contributions to growth, housing investment and state and local government spending
declined.
GDP update
The upward revision to third‐quarter GDP growth reflected upward revisions to consumer spending and
to housing investment that were partly offset by downward revisions to business investment and to
inventory investment.
Quarter‐to‐Quarter Growth in Corporate Profits

Corporate profits
Profits increased 6.6 percent at a quarterly
rate in the third quarter after decreasing 0.6
percent in the second quarter.

8
6
4

Percent

• Profits of domestic nonfinancial
corporations increased 6.5 percent after
decreasing 4.6 percent.
• Profits of domestic financial corporations
rose 11.5 percent after rising 1.3 percent.
• Profits from the rest of the world increased
1.6 percent after increasing 10.3 percent.

10

2
0
‐2
‐4
‐6
‐8

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

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

Over the last 4 quarters, corporate profits increased 2.8 percent.
BEA data—including GDP, personal income, the balance of payments, foreign direct investment, the input-output accounts, and
regional economic data—are available at www.bea.gov. E-mail alerts are also available. The “third” estimate of GDP for the
third quarter of 2016 and a revised estimate of corporate profits will be released on December 22, 2016.