US economy grows at a sluggish 1.5% in second-quarter with inflation remaining stubbornly high
- The U.S. economy grew at a 1.5% pace from April to June, down from 2.1% in the first quarter.
- Consumer spending increased at a 3.2% annual rate, up from 0.5% in the previous quarter.
- Imports rose at an 11.5% pace, negatively impacting GDP growth by 1.5 percentage points.
- Business investment, excluding housing, rose at an 8.4% pace, reflecting strong AI investment.
- The personal consumption expenditures price index rose 3.7% year-over-year, down from 4.1% in May.
The U.S. economy expanded at a sluggish 1.5% pace from April through June as rising imports weighed on growth, yet consumers continued to spend. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, increased at a 3.2% annual clip, up from 0.5% in the January-March period.
Imports rose at an 11.5% pace, partly due to a surge in shipments of computer chips and other products supporting AI investment, which negatively impacted GDP growth by 1.5 percentage points. Business investment, excluding housing, rose at an 8.4% pace, reflecting strong investment in artificial intelligence.
The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures price index, rose 3.7% year-over-year, down from a 4.1% increase in May. This inflation rate remains above the central bank's 2% target, contributing to ongoing concerns about the high cost of living ahead of the midterm elections.
美国经济在第二季度以缓慢的1.5%增长，通胀依然顽固高企
美国经济在4月至6月期间以缓慢的1.5%增长，尽管进口增加对增长产生了压力，但消费者仍在继续消费。消费者支出约占美国经济活动的70%，以3.2%的年增长率增加，高于1月至3月的0.5%。
进口以11.5%的速度增长，部分原因是计算机芯片和其他支持人工智能投资的产品的运输激增，这对GDP增长产生了1.5个百分点的负面影响。不包括住房的商业投资以8.4%的速度增长，反映出对人工智能的强劲投资。
美联储首选的通胀指标，即个人消费支出价格指数，同比上涨3.7%，低于5月份的4.1%增幅。此通胀率仍高于美联储2%的目标，导致人们对生活成本高企的担忧持续，尤其是在中期选举临近之际。