US Economy Grew at 3.4% Rate in Third Quarter of 2026
GDP accelerated sharply from Q2's 2.2% pace, driven by investment, consumer spending, and government outlays.
The U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.4 percent in the third quarter of 2026, a significant acceleration from the 2.2 percent growth recorded in the prior quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported in its advance estimate Thursday.
Investment, consumer spending, and government expenditures all contributed positively to the third-quarter gain, spanning the July-through-September period. The breadth of those contributions signals demand remained broad-based across the private and public sectors heading into the final stretch of the year.
Read more US Personal Income Rose 0.2% in September, Spending Up 0.5% →
Partly offsetting those gains, exports declined during the quarter, acting as a drag on the headline figure. Imports, which are subtracted in the GDP calculation, also rose — a dynamic that further tempered the topline result even as domestic activity stayed robust.
The advance estimate is the first of three scheduled readings the BEA will publish for third-quarter output. Subsequent revisions typically incorporate more complete source data on consumer expenditures, trade, and inventories, and can shift the final figure meaningfully in either direction.
The acceleration from Q2 to Q3 represents the strongest quarterly growth pace in recent reporting and is likely to shape near-term expectations for Federal Reserve policy and corporate earnings outlooks. Continue reading at U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
