Marketplace All-in-One U.S. GDP sees healthy growth
Dec 23, 2025
Henry Epp, a Marketplace reporter, dives into the impressive 4.3% GDP growth, highlighting key drivers like consumer spending from higher earners. Samantha Fields discusses the shortcomings of ACA alternatives, cautioning about misleading 'private exchanges'. Kristen Schwab highlights rising holiday spending trends amid plummeting consumer confidence, while Laura Weber Davis shares how winter surfing on the Great Lakes boosts local tourism, merging economics with unique regional stories.
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Strong GDP Masks Uneven Growth
- GDP grew an annualized 4.3% in Q3, driven mainly by consumer spending and private domestic demand.
- That growth masks widening splits: high earners and some firms spend while others face stagnant incomes and weak payrolls.
Final Sales Show Persistent But Fragile Demand
- Underlying domestic spending rose 3% in Q3, showing persistent consumer and business outlays despite mixed signals.
- Economists warn this spending may be unsustainable given weak payroll growth since April.
Economy Splitting By Income And Sector
- The economy is splitting across income, age, and employment lines, with some sectors (like AI data centers) booming and others lagging.
- That sectoral and household divergence complicates outlooks for sustained aggregate growth.