The 0.5% estimate is the annual rate of real GDP growth in 4Q, and the figure doesn't sound like much of a revision until you remember that the estimated annual rate in 3Q was 4.4%.
That's one hell of a drop, whether it's to 0.7% or to 0.5%.
In other words, the economy nearly stalled in 4Q.
Meanwhile real GDP for full year 2025 increased at a measly 2.1% rate.
CNBC buried the bad news in a different story, seven paragraphs down:
Inflation held sticky at 3% as U.S. headed into war with Iran, key Fed gauge shows
... Separately, the Commerce Department reported that economic growth was even slower than previously reported for the fourth quarter of 2025.
Gross domestic product, a measure of all goods and services produced, rose just 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, down from the prior reading of 0.7% and the initial estimate of 1.4%. The full-year growth rate held at 2.1%.
The department said the downward revision came primarily to lower investment than previously indicated. ...
Gee, I thought Trump said $18 trillion in investment was flowing into the economy?
Golden Age, my foot.
Meanwhile the initial estimate was cut in half by the second estimate, and the final estimate cut that by nearly 29% more. They were off by only 64% in the end.
Remember, this is all pre-Iran-War-induced oil crisis, too.
It's going to be ugly.
