GDP: US economy grows at faster than expected pace in second quarter as inflation eases

The US economy grew at a faster than expected pace in the second quarter.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s advance estimate of first quarter US gross domestic product (GDP) showed the economy grew at an annualized pace of 2.8% during the period, well above the 2% growth expected by economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The reading came in higher than first quarter GDP, which was revised down to 1.4%.

Meanwhile, the “core” Personal Consumption Expenditures index, which excludes the volatile food and energy categories, grew by 2.9% in the first quarter, above estimates of 2.7% but significantly lower than 3.7% gain in the prior quarter.

The data’s release comes as investors try to gauge when the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates and if the central bank can achieve a soft landing, where inflation comes down to its 2% target without a significant economic downturn.

Entering Thursday, markets had priced in a 100% chance the Fed would cut rates by the end of its September meeting.

“The data today will reinforce the notion that the Fed has the benefit of time,” Renaissance Macro head of economic research Neil Dutta wrote in a note following Thursday’s release. “In the Fed’s mind, there is no need to rush with private domestic demand growing at a solid pace over the second quarter. July remains a set up meeting for September.”