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%).  

Share: Feed news

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Recommended content


Recommended content

Editors’ Picks

AUD/USD tumbles toward 0.6350 as Middle East war fears mount

AUD/USD tumbles toward 0.6350 as Middle East war fears mount

AUD/USD has come under intense selling pressure and slides toward 0.6350, as risk-aversion intensifies following the news that Israel retaliated with missile strikes on a site in Iran. Fears of the Israel-Iran strife translating into a wider regional conflict are weighing on the higher-yielding Aussie Dollar. 

AUD/USD News

USD/JPY breaches 154.00 as sell-off intensifies on Israel-Iran escalation

USD/JPY breaches 154.00 as sell-off intensifies on Israel-Iran escalation

USD/JPY is trading below 154.00 after falling hard on confirmation of reports of an Israeli missile strike on Iran, implying that an open conflict is underway and could only spread into a wider Middle East war. Safe-haven Japanese Yen jumped, helped by BoJ Governor Ueda's comments. 

USD/JPY News

Gold price jumps above $2,400 as MidEast escalation sparks flight to safety

Gold price jumps above $2,400 as MidEast escalation sparks flight to safety

Gold price has caught a fresh bid wave, jumping beyond $2,400 after Israel's retaliatory strikes on Iran sparked a global flight to safety mode and rushed flows into the ultimate safe-haven Gold. Risk assets are taking a big hit, as risk-aversion creeps into Asian trading on Friday. 

Gold News

WTI surges to $85.00 amid Israel-Iran tensions

WTI surges to $85.00 amid Israel-Iran tensions

Western Texas Intermediate, the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $85.00 on Friday. The black gold gains traction on the day amid the escalating tension between Israel and Iran after a US official confirmed that Israeli missiles had hit a site in Iran.

Oil News

Dogwifhat price pumps 5% ahead of possible Coinbase effect

Dogwifhat price pumps 5% ahead of possible Coinbase effect

Dogwifhat price recorded an uptick on Thursday, going as far as to outperform its peers in the meme coins space. Second only to Bonk Inu, WIF token’s show of strength was not just influenced by Bitcoin price reclaiming above $63,000.

Read more

Forex MAJORS

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures