The U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the first quarter amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and drop in pandemic relief money from the government, but the decline in output is misleading as domestic demand remained strong.
The first decrease in gross domestic product in nearly two years, reported by the Commerce Department on Thursday, was mostly driven by a wider trade deficit as imports surged, and a slowdown in the pace of inventory accumulation from the fourth quarter's robust pace.
A measure of domestic demand accelerated from the fourth quarter's pace, allaying fears of either stagflation or a recession. The
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