U.S. growth slows to 2.1% as trade war drags

U.S. economic growth slowed in the second quarter by less than forecast as consumer spending topped estimates, though weaker business investment and exports underscored the risks spurring the Federal Reserve toward an interest-rate cut next week.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 2.1% annualized rate, according to Commerce Department data Friday that topped forecasts for 1.8%. That follows an unrevised 3.1% advance in first quarter and updated data showing growth last year was slower than previously reported.

Consumer spending, the biggest part of the economy, increased 4.3%, while government spending climbed 5% and offered the biggest boost in a decade. Nonresidential investment fell 0.6% for the first drop since 2015 and residential decreased for a sixth straight period.

“We have pockets of weakness in manufacturing and business investment, but as the consumer goes, so does the U.S. economy — the fundamentals for the consumer are very, very good,” said Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. “Unless the consumer starts to hunker it in, I think the U.S. economy is going to get through this little soft patch without it turning into something worse.”

President Donald Trump tweeted his approval with another shot at the central bank for keeping monetary policy too tight for his liking. “Not bad considering we have the very heavy weight of the Federal Reserve anchor wrapped around our neck,” he said.

The mixed report highlights how Trump — who has repeatedly called for lower interest rates — is enjoying signs of a solid economy while his trade war with China weighs on the expansion and fuels uncertainty for global businesses. Revised data released Friday showed the economy missed Trump’s 3% growth goal in 2018, after previous data had showed it matching.

The report on the broadest measure of all goods and services comes as Fed is expected to cut interest rates next week by a quarter point. The GDP report isn’t likely to sway that outcome, though officials are likely to consider the weakness in trade and corporate investment as risks to the economic outlook.

Friday’s report showed fresh evidence that trade is weighing on the expansion as exports dropped 5.2% while imports rose just 0.1%. Overall growth on a year-over-year basis slowed to 2.3%, the weakest pace in two years.