The United States economy recorded stronger growth during the third quarter of 2026, with real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increasing at an annualised rate of 3.4%, according to the advance estimate released by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis on October 29.
The growth rate accelerated from 2.2% in the second quarter, indicating an increase in overall economic activity during the July–September period.
Consumer spending, investment and government expenditure contributed to the expansion. However, a decline in exports partly offset these gains, while imports increased during the quarter.
Consumer spending, which accounts for a substantial share of US economic activity, increased at an annualised rate of 3.8% during the third quarter. Spending rose across both goods and services, with healthcare, food services and accommodation contributing to the increase in services expenditure. Prescription drugs were among the contributors to spending on goods.
Investment also played an important role in economic growth. The BEA reported that the increase primarily reflected higher private inventory investment and equipment spending. Information-processing equipment, particularly computers and peripheral equipment, contributed to the rise in equipment investment.
Government spending increased during the quarter, with federal government expenditure accounting for the rise.
Another indicator of domestic economic activity, real final sales to private domestic purchasers, increased at an annualised rate of 4.9% in the third quarter, compared with 4.6% in the previous quarter. This measure combines consumer spending and gross private fixed investment.
However, international trade remained a factor limiting overall growth. Exports declined, particularly in goods, while imports increased. Since imports are deducted when calculating GDP, their increase also affected the overall growth contribution.
The GDP report also showed that the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index increased at an annualised rate of 2.1% during the third quarter, compared with 5% in the second quarter. The core PCE price index, which excludes food and energy, increased by 2.5%, compared with 3.3% in the previous quarter.
Separately, September data showed that the overall PCE price index increased by 3.6% compared with the same month a year earlier, while the core PCE index rose by 3.1%. These year-on-year figures provide a different measure of inflation from the quarterly annualised rates reported in the GDP estimate.
The October 29 figures represent the advance estimate and may be revised as additional economic information becomes available.
The BEA has scheduled the second estimate of third-quarter GDP for November 25, 2026.
Source: NationPath