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Here's the ANTI-GOLD vote >>>> Second-quarter GDP revised up to 4.2%

MARKETWATCH 11:17 AM ET 08/28/14


WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The United Stated grew at a 4.2% annual pace in the second quarter -- a touch faster than previously estimated -- as businesses ramped up investment on buildings and equipment and consumers spent more after huddling inside during the winter.

The acceleration in business investment, if it's sustained, could add to the economy's momentum in the months ahead. Companies have been reluctant spenders since the U.S. exited the Great Recession five years ago, a chief reason why the economy is growing well below its historical norm.

Initially, the government reported last month that gross domestic product expanded at a seasonally adjusted 4% clip from April to June. GDP reflects the value of all goods and services produced by the U.S. economy.

The rebound in growth during the spring eased any lingering concerns after a stunning 2.1% decline in the first quarter, one of the rare times the economy has contracted in the middle of a prolonged expansion.

Consumer spending, the main driver of U.S. economic activity, led the way as usual. Outlays rose by an unrevised 2.5% in the second quarter after a tepid 1.2% gain in the first three months of the year. Households were aided by a 4.2% rise in inflation-adjusted income after taxes, the biggest increase in almost two years.

What's more, newly revised figures from the Commerce Department show that businesses invested at an even faster rate. Companies increased investment in structures such as office buildings by 9.4% instead of a prior estimate of 5.3%. And they boosted spending on equipment by 10.7%, rather than 7%.

Soft business investment played a key role in the brief but steep first-quarter slump. Many companies suffered closures and delays or put off major projects amid a bout of extremely cold or stormy conditions that also made it hard for employees to get to work.

"Businesses have bounced back after the bad winter disrupted production and demand, and consumers are gradually earning and spending more," said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services.

Nor has investment slacked off much in the third quarter, recent reports show. Most industries are hiring and manufacturers in particular are boosting production.

One reason businesses could invest more: Corporate profits jumped an estimated 8% in the second quarter after declining by 9.4% in the first quarter. Pretax profits adjusted for depreciation and the value of inventories climbed by $154.9 billion to a $2.1 trillion annual rate.

Businesses also heartily restocked their warehouse shelves in the second quarter, though not quite as much as previously reported. The value of inventories climbed $83.9 billion instead of $93.4 billion. Still, that was more than double the increase in the first quarter and a sign that companies expect to sell more goods. Rising inventories boost GDP.

Trade was also less of a drag on the economy in the spring. The rise in exports was revised up to 10.1% from 9.5% and the increase in imports was trimmed to 11% from 11.7%. A smaller trade gap adds to U.S. growth and a larger one subtracts from GDP.

The rest of the updated GDP report showed little change. Inflation as measured by the PCE index, for example, rose at a 2.3% annual rate compared to a 1.4% increase in the first quarter.

Separately, the Labor Department reported jobless claims were below 300,000 for the fourth time in six weeks.

-Jeffry Bartash; 415-439-6400; [e-mail]

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
08-28-141117ET
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