Could the Great Recession be over because the GDP did not shrink for one quarter?

• The gross domestic product of the United States grew at a rate of +3.5% in the third quarter of 2009, which is the same amount as the average growth rate of the last 80 years.
• Although jobs are still sparse and the housing market is still in bad shape, government programs helped encourage consumer spending on all sorts of goods.
  
• There is still a risk of slowed growth or a dip in GDP because the third quarter’s growth can be attributed in part to strong stimulus packages, which will expire in coming months.

Facts & Figures

• The stimulus packages that encouraged growth in GDP include the $787 billion package approved in the winter of 2008-2009 and the Cash for Clunkers program.
• Jobless rate reached 9.8% in September 2009, despite GDP growth.
• American exports (goods being sold outside the country) grew at an annual rate of 14.7% and imports (goods coming in from abroad) grew at a 16.4% annual rate.

Best Quote

“The big-picture perspective is that things have improved. The question is, how sustainable is this growth going forward?” – Jan Hatzius, Chief U.S. Economist at Goldman Sachs