The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow model now projects U.S. real GDP to grow at an annualized rate of 3.7% in the second quarter of 2026, up from 3.5% in the first quarter. The latest estimate, updated on 5 May 2026, signals a modest acceleration in economic momentum compared with the start of the year.
The first-quarter 2026 GDPNow reading had settled at 3.5%, already indicating solid expansion. The uptick to 3.7% for the second quarter suggests that underlying demand remains resilient, even as markets continue to assess the durability of the current growth phase.
While GDPNow is a real-time tracking tool rather than an official government estimate, investors and analysts closely monitor its shifts for early clues on the trajectory of U.S. output ahead of the Commerce Department’s formal GDP releases.
