U.S. GDP growth in the third quarter reached an annual rate of 4.3 percent, a two-year high.

【Key Focus: Key Economic Data of the Third Quarter in the United States Released, GDP Annual Growth Rate Reaches as High as 4.3%】

On December 23, 2025, Washington time, the U.S. Department of Commerce released a key economic data report for the third quarter (July-September 2025), which had been delayed due to the federal government shutdown:

The annual growth rate of GDP (Lao Liu's note: The United States uses "quarterly annualized growth," which is different from the commonly used "natural annual growth") reached as high as 4.3%, higher than the 3.8% of the second quarter, setting a two-year high.

The personal consumption expenditure index (Lao Liu's note: an inflation indicator) increased by 2.8% annually, higher than the 2.1% of the second quarter. The core personal consumption expenditure (Lao Liu's note: inflation rate excluding the volatile food and energy prices) was 2.9%, higher than the 2.6% of the second quarter.

Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of the U.S. economy, with an annual growth rate rising to 3.5%, higher than the 2.5% of the second quarter.

Government consumption and investment grew by 2.2%, higher than the -0.1% of the second quarter.

Private business investment fell by 0.3%, a much smaller decline than the 13.8% of the second quarter.

Export growth rate was 8.8%, while imports declined by 4.7%.

Lao Liu's supplementary information:

This report has sparked widespread skepticism among American netizens. Lao Liu has selected the first page of comments.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852315975368711/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone