Iran Press/ America: The Commerce Department downgraded its earlier estimate of the US gross domestic product last quarter, finding that the devastation was slightly less than the 32.9% annualized contraction it had estimated at the end of July. The previous worst quarterly drop since record-keeping began in 1947 was a 10% annualized loss in 1958.
Last quarter, businesses shuttered and millions of workers lost jobs as the world's largest economy went into lockdown mode, succeeding only fitfully in limiting the spread of reported viral infections. The US economy fell an annualized 5% in the first three months of the year as the coronavirus began to make its presence felt in February and March.
A bounce back in hiring, as many businesses reopened, suggested the economy began to recover in June with third-quarter growth estimated to be around 20% annualized. But economists say a full recovery remains far off given that the virus has yet to be contained and the government's financial support has faded.
"As we approach the fall, we see four important risks for the economy: a failure to provide further fiscal stimulus, a second wave of COVID-19 infection during the flu season, major election uncertainty and rising trade tensions with China," said Lydia Boussour, senior US economist at Oxford Economics.
at 10.2%, and roughly 1 million people are applying for jobless aid each week even as the amount of aid they receive has shrunk. Consumer confidence has tumbled. Though the stock market and home sales are surging, the broader economy shows signs of stalling, and millions of Americans face potential evictions from their homes.
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