Real gross domestic product for the U.S. increased at an annual rate of 1.4 percent in the first quarter of 2017, according to the "third" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2016, real GDP increased 2.1 percent. The upward revision to the percent change in real GDP primarily reflected upward revisions to PCE and to exports which were partly offset by a downward revision to nonresidential fixed investment.
The GDP estimate released today is based on more complete source data than were available for the "second" estimate issued last month. In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was 1.2 percent. With the third estimate for the first quarter, personal consumption expenditures and exports increased more than previously estimated, but the general picture of economic growth remains the same.
Real gross domestic income increased 1 percent in the first quarter, in contrast to a decrease of 1.4 percent in the fourth. The average of real GDP and real GDI, a supplemental measure of U.S. economic activity that equally weights GDP and GDI, increased 1.2 percent in the first quarter, compared with an increase of 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter.
The increase in real GDP in the first quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from nonresidential fixed investment, exports, PCE, and residential fixed investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from private inventory investment, federal government spending, and state and local government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.
Current-dollar GDP increased 3.4 percent, or $157.7 billion, in the first quarter to a level of $19,027.1 billion. In the fourth quarter, current-dollar GDP increased 4.2 percent, or $194.1 billion.
The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 2.5 percent in the first quarter, compared with an increase of 2 percent in the fourth quarter. The PCE price index increased 2.4 percent, compared with an increase of 2 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 2 percent, compared with an increase of 1.3 percent.
