The Atlanta Federal Reserve’s GDPNow model estimate for U.S. real GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026 has held at 1.2%, according to the latest update on 29 April 2026. The current reading indicates no change from the previous indicated level of 1.2% that had been associated with the second quarter of 2026.
The unchanged 1.2% estimate suggests the model continues to see modest, steady economic expansion at the start of 2026, with no current signal of acceleration or deterioration in near-term growth based on the available data. While GDPNow is a real-time statistical model and not an official forecast, its stability at this level underscores a view of a U.S. economy growing at a measured pace heading into the mid-year period.
