Real gross domestic product for the U.S. increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2015, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 0.6 percent. The second quarter advance estimate is based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency. The "second" estimate for the second quarter, based on more complete data, will be released on Aug. 27.
The increase in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures, exports, state and local government spending, and residential fixed investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from federal government spending, private inventory investment and nonresidential fixed investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.
The acceleration in real GDP growth in the second quarter reflected an upturn in exports, an acceleration in PCE, a deceleration in imports, and an upturn in state and local government spending that were partly offset by downturns in private inventory investment, in nonresidential fixed investment, and in federal government spending and a deceleration in residential fixed investment.
The price index for gross domestic purchases, which measures prices paid by U.S. residents, increased 1.4 percent in the second quarter, in contrast to a decrease of 1.6 percent in the first. Excluding food and energy prices, the price index for gross domestic purchases increased 1.1 percent, compared with an increase of 0.2 percent.
