|

Breaking: US economy shrinks by 1.4% annualised in Q1 versus 1.1% expected growth

  • The US economy unexpectedly shrank at an annualised pace of 1.4% in Q1 2022 versus expectations for a 1.1% growth rate. 
  • The downbeat growth data triggered weakness in the US dollar, with the DXY dropping back from the upper 103.00s to around 103.50. 

The annualised pace of US real GDP growth in Q1 2022 came in at negative 1.4%, according to data released by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday. That was a big miss on expectations that the economy had grown at an annualised pace of 1.4% in Q1 and marked a significant turnaround in fortunes from Q4 2021's robust 6.9% annualised growth rate. 

Meanwhile, the GDP Price Index for Q1 saw a bigger than expected jump to 8.0% from 7.1% in Q4 versus an expected rise to 7.3%, though Core PCE Prices saw a slightly smaller than expected rise to 5.2% from 5.0%, versus forecasts for a 5.4% rise. 

Market Reaction

The US Dollar Index (DX) immediately dropped back from the upper 103.00s and is now trading just above 103.50 in wake of the massive miss on growth expectations for last quarter. Some might argue that the data might deter the Fed from raising interest rates quite so aggressively in the coming quarters. At the very least, it diminishes the argument for the Fed to take interest rates back into outright restrictive territory (i.e. above 2.5%).  

Author

More from FXStreet Team
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD struggles below 1.1800 ahead of US data, Fedspeak

EUR/USD remains trapped in a tight range below 1.1800 in the European session on Tuesday. The pair struggles amid a modest US Dollar strength and an improvement in risk sentiment, even as US tariff uncertainty lingers. The focus now remains on the US data and Fedspeak. 

GBP/USD stays defensive below 1.3500 as USD firms up

GBP/USD stays on the back foot below 1.3500 in the European trading hours on Tuesday. The pair declines as the US Dollar rebounds from losses recorded over the previous two sessions. Traders will focus on the US weekly ADP Employment Change and Consumer Confidence data due later in the day, along with speeches from Federal Reserve officials.

Gold holds pullback below $5,200 amid USD uptick

Gold holds moderate losses below $5,200 in European trading on Tuesday, though it lacks follow-through selling. Following the previous day's knee-jerk fall in reaction to US President Donald Trump's new global tariffs and the subsequent bounce, the US Dollar attracts fresh buyers ahead of mid-tier data and Fedspeak. 

Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe extend losses on bearish signals

Meme coins are facing renewed selling pressure amid fading broad risk-on sentiment so far this week, with Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe extending their losses after recent corrections.

Supreme Court nixes tariffs, Trump teases 15% global tariff

On February 20th, the Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s global tariffs under IEEPA authority were unconstitutional, effectively nullifying the framework. However, the relief was short-lived. Within hours, Trump floated a 15% blanket tariff under an alternative legal authority.

Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe extend losses on bearish signals

Meme coins are facing renewed selling pressure amid fading broad risk-on sentiment so far this week, with Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe extending their losses after recent corrections.