GDP & Economic Growth

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures the total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country over a specific period, and is the single most-watched gauge of economic size and growth. In the U.S., the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports GDP quarterly, first as an advance estimate that gets revised twice as more complete data arrives. Economists commonly define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, though the official U.S. determination, made by the National Bureau of Economic Research, considers a broader set of indicators. Markets react most to whether GDP growth is accelerating, decelerating, or reversing relative to expectations, not just its absolute level.