The world's largest economy grew 3% in the second quarter

People shop at a supermarket in Millbrae, California, USA. (Photo: THX/TTXVN)

However, experts warn that this impressive figure is significantly distorted by trade fluctuations related to President Donald Trump's tariff policies.

According to the latest report from the US Department of Commerce, the world's largest economy grew at a rate of 3%/year in the period from April to June 2025, higher than analysts' expectations of 2.5% and reversing the 0.5% decline in the first three months of this year.

The Commerce Department explained that the increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2025 mainly reflected a decline in imports. The report also said that the economic growth also reflected an increase in consumer spending.

At the beginning of the year, American businesses rushed to stockpile goods to avoid President Trump's tariffs, but that activity is now gradually subsiding.

Goldman Sachs recently noted that the import boom in the first quarter of the year created a major drag on US GDP growth. As a result, analysts have predicted a GDP recovery as imports cool, but say this may not be sustainable.

Experts warn that Mr Trump's upcoming wave of tariff hikes could trigger a surge in inflation, eroding household purchasing power and hurting consumption.

According to Samuel Tombs, chief economist at consulting firm Pantheon Macroeconomics, the US GDP growth trend should be analyzed by considering both the first and second quarters of 2025.

He predicted that the US economy could “lose momentum further” in the third quarter of 2025, when consumer prices for imported goods could increase sharply./.

According to VNA