The U.S. economy grew last quarter at a healthy 3% annual pace, fueled by strong consumer spending and business investment, the government said Thursday in an upgrade of its initial assessment. The Commerce Department had previously estimated that the nation’s gross domestic product — the total output of goods and services — expanded at a 2.8% rate from April through June. The second-quarter growth marked a sharp acceleration from a sluggish 1.4% growth rate in the first three months of 2024. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of U.S. economic activity, rose at a 2.9% annual rate last quarter, up from 2.3% in the government’s initial estimate. Business investment expanded at a 7.5% rate, led by a 10.8% jump in investment in equipment. Thursday’s report reflected an economy that remains resilient while still gradually slowing under the pressure of continued high interest rates. The state of the economy is weighing heavily on voters ahead of the November presidential election.
U.S. Pending Home Sales Hit Record Low in July
Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes dropped to a record low in July, with the National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index falling 5.5% to 70.2, the lowest level since the index began in 2001. High home prices and increased borrowing costs have deterred potential buyers, leading to a year-on-year decline of 8.5% in pending sales.
The housing market is likely to remain subdued as consumer interest in purchasing homes continues to decline. House prices are still high, though their rate of increase has slowed, with prices up 5.1% year-on-year in June.
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