United States Growth Tracker
World Economics
24 March 2021
Speed Read
- US GDP expanded by an annualised 4% in Q4 2020 after a 33% increase in Q3.
- Key indicators show economic activity remaining tepid in March when measured to pre Covid levels.
- Consumer sentiment has continued to remain in the doldrums during the first quarter of 2021.
- Unemployment claims for February registered a fall of -6.2% year-on-year .
- January’s sale of passenger cars fell to 53% below a year ago.
GDP Growth
Real GDP Growth 1961 - 2020
Since 1961, annual American real GDP growth has been following a falling trend year-on-year.

Quarterly Real GDP Growth Q1 2008 - Q4 2020 ($billion, 2009 chained)

Leading & Composite Indicators
OECD Composite Leading Indicator
The OECD Composite Leading Indicator® (CLI) is designed “to provide early signals of turning points between expansions and slowdowns of economic activity”. The components include: Dwellings started (number), Net new orders for durable goods, share prices: NYSE composite, consumer sentiment indicator, weekly hours of work: manufacturing, purchasing managers index, and the spread of interest rates.
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