First Quarter GDP 2009 in the USA was down 6.1%. This is after a revised 6.3% drop in fourth quarter of 2008 (preliminary fourth quarter report showed a 6.2% decline). Real exports of goods and services decreased 30% in the first quarter, compared with a decrease of 23.6% in the fourth. Real imports of goods and services decreased 34.1%, compared with a decrease of 17.5%.
The personal saving rate — saving as a percentage of disposable personal income — was 4.2% in the first quarter, compared with 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2008.
The news certainly is nothing to be happy about. But the stock markets around the world were buoyed by the Federal Reserves positive words:
Although the economic outlook has improved modestly since the March meeting, partly reflecting some easing of financial market conditions, economic activity is likely to remain weak for a time. Nonetheless, the Committee continues to anticipate that policy actions to stabilize financial markets and institutions, fiscal and monetary stimulus, and market forces will contribute to a gradual resumption of sustainable economic growth in a context of price stability.
True, those words hardly sound like great news but the markets were quite happy.
Related: The Economy is in Serious Trouble (Nov 2008) – Warren Buffett Webcast on the Credit Crisis – Fed Continues Wall Street Welfare (March 2008) – Manufacturing Data – Accuracy Questions
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