Sense on Cents

2nd quarter 2010 GDP was just released and registered growth of +2.4% versus consensus expectations of +2.6%. Slightly weaker than expected, and we can all move on perhaps? Not so fast.

1st quarter GDP was revised from its supposed final reading of +2.7% to a newly revised 3.7%!! So the economy was that much stronger in the 1st quarter than previously thought that the 2.4% 2nd quarter reading is actually not all that bad. Again, not so fast. Let’s continue to peel the onion a little further.  

Are economists and government analysts hoping we do not catch the fact that the 4th quarter 2009 GDP report of 5.6% was revised lower to 5%? The GDP report for all of 2009 was revised lower from -2.4% to -2.6%. The GDP report for all of 2008 was revised lower from a flat reading to -.4%.

How do we make sense on cents of all these numbers, and what do we think of the current report? The fact is when all the revisions are totaled, the economy was weaker then and is weaker now than what economists would have projected. Personal consumption specifically is slowing with downward revisions as well.

I am sure critics might say the report is not the contraction projected by Rick Davis of Consumer Metrics Institute, but I would caution people not to be quite so hasty. When so called final GDP reports from just one month prior are adjusted by a factor of close to 40% (the +2.7% to +3.7%), then we need to assume that future reports can and will be subject to similar fluctuations.

Are the powers that be playing with the books and numbers to hit the current targets? Do you trust we are receiving the real figures in a timely and accurate fashion?

I remain suspect. The fact is the economy continues to have ‘walking pneumonia’ and the consumer specifically has the worst case.

LD

This entry was posted on Friday, July 30th, 2010 at 9:14 AM and is filed under GDP, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.