The U.S. economy returned to form in the second quarter, growing at a 3.3% annualized pace —a sharp turnaround from the sluggish first quarter, which saw a 0.5% contraction as businesses scrambled to navigate the return of tariffs under President Donald Trump.
Thursday’s report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis showed the economy not only grew but also slightly outpaced the initial estimate of 3.1%, boosted by better-than-expected consumer spending and private investment.
That makes it the strongest quarterly expansion since the third quarter of 2023 and a clear sign that economic activity is normalizing after a rocky start to the year.
One of the key drivers of the rebound was a sharp reversal in trade-related distortions. The U.S. trade deficit in goods shrank dramatically to $85.88 …