US GDP in Q1 2025 declines but April employment beats expectations

Loading player...
US GDP dropped by -0.3% q/q in the first quarter of 2025, raising fears the economy is heading for a recession. The main reason was a 50% q/q increase in US imports in anticipation of tariff increases. However, it will take a couple of months before the impact of tariffs and consumers’ reaction to them will become fully evident. Latest US employment data, a critical gauge of the performance of the economy, shows 177 000 jobs were added in April, well above expectations, and the jobless rate was unchanged at 4.2%.
Click here to listen to the podcast.
5 May English South Africa Investing · Business News

Other recent episodes

US jobs data shows an economy under pressure

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, explores a wide range of data on the US labour market. The statistics show that, as a result of President Trump’s tariff policies, jobs are being lost and the economy is under pressure. In response, the US Federal Reserve is expected to…
8 Sep 8 min

Positive SA government revenue and expenditure data

In this podcast, STANLIB’s Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about revenue and expenditure data for July, with revenue holding up well and expenditure slightly behind budget. He also discusses concerns that the US’s 30% tariff could hurt SA’s export performance. Click here to listen to the podcast. STANLIB Asset Management…
1 Sep 11 min

Corporate Conversations: The power of money market instruments

South Africa’s money market industry is well-developed and globally competitive, with active trading in instruments like floating rate notes linked to local benchmarks such as JIBAR. Although floating rate notes are common in markets such as the US and UK, South Africa’s market exhibits distinct structural features and investor preferences…
27 Aug 9 min

US signals change in emphasis on interest rate policy

In this podcast, STANLIB Chief Economist, Kevin Lings, talks about Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s recent address at the Jackson Hole Symposium, where he indicates a notable shift in the Fed’s policy emphasis from managing inflation risks to addressing emerging weaknesses in the US labour market. This could signal the…
25 Aug 13 min