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Wiz Imp

(8,767 posts)
34. Data are legit but extremely misleading (and almost certainly skewed because of the shutdown)
Tue Dec 23, 2025, 02:17 PM
Tuesday
1. AI spending accounts for roughly half of the increase

2. Defense spending is helping to buoy the economy as well

3. Imports have continued to decrease while exports have increased slightly driving the number higher due to the way this is calculated

4. Inflation is persistent and the bottom half of the country (or more potentially) is still struggling while the affluent are driving consumer spending to a sufficient level to increase GDP.

This last point is one worth looking at a little further. The BEA reported that most of this spending came from healthcare purchases. So it seems likely the a good deal of the affluent spending is coming from older Americans who have benefited the most from the explosion of asset prices while the rest of the country struggles, especially if those Americans aren't having their parents helping them out.


https://www.reddit.com/r/Economics/comments/1ptwrl7/us_gdp_grew_at_a_blistering_43_pace_in_the_third/

Government spending is also up which is artificially increasing the GDP.

GDP = C + I + G + (X − M)

where C = consumption, I = investment, G = government spending X = exports and M = imports.

Recommendations

2 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Cooked data? sop Tuesday #1
Any reason to believe Trump wouldn't lie to make himself look better? highplainsdem Tuesday #7
Perish the thought. Hugin Tuesday #8
When has he NOT cooked the books? Hieronymus Phact Tuesday #20
This happens when we never get the real data FakeNoose Tuesday #2
Anybody believe that? sinkingfeeling Tuesday #3
Hell no.................. Lovie777 Tuesday #4
Nope LoisB Tuesday #13
you know bdamomma Tuesday #14
Nope Rebl2 Tuesday #15
Let's see.... OldBaldy1701E Tuesday #36
How much of this is based on higher cost due to tariffs? DemMedic Tuesday #5
Much (maybe most) of personal consumption was for Healthcare underpants Tuesday #26
Very disturbing fujiyamasan Yesterday #38
On the one hand, I don't want the economy to collapse, True Dough Tuesday #6
Trump fired the Commissioner of BLS because he didn't like the numbers. djacq Tuesday #9
I believe we are in a full recession. Main Street is hurting! OrlandoDem2 Tuesday #10
I heard Rebl2 Tuesday #17
And what effect did this have on prices or consumer sentiment? mwb970 Tuesday #11
Okun's law--not really a law but informative--would suggest this number is not accurate, but there are caveats. Ol Janx Spirit Tuesday #12
don't believe it Nigrum Cattus Tuesday #16
This has been a hard year for econ statistics due to massive policy changes. mathematic Tuesday #18
And when the real numbers are finally released the sudden drop off will be blamed on Democrats. groundloop Tuesday #19
Bullshit. SamKnause Tuesday #21
Hardy Har Har tavernier Tuesday #22
Consumer confidence (Conference Board) went down again, it was reported today progree Tuesday #23
I smell some B$ over in the Trump Barn IbogaProject Tuesday #24
Reuters on Q3 GDP - progree Tuesday #25
I think it's the October one. The shutdown delayed a lot of reports / data collection. Calista241 Tuesday #27
I think the number is bogus. OLDMDDEM Tuesday #28
LOL LOL LOL bucolic_frolic Tuesday #29
It seems to me that there are too separate issues here, and that we shouldn't conflate them. markodochartaigh Tuesday #30
My wallet says it didn't grow 4.3%, not for me at least. OC375 Tuesday #31
Did CNBC fact check this stuff you know go over to the BLS to see what they have to say......... turbinetree Tuesday #32
Fake stats Ritabert Tuesday #33
Data are legit but extremely misleading (and almost certainly skewed because of the shutdown) Wiz Imp Tuesday #34
I do not trust any numbers from the trump assholes LetMyPeopleVote Tuesday #35
chocolate rations are up! SonOfNebanaube Tuesday #37
Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»U.S. economy grows by 4.3...»Reply #34