What Is GDP Level?

  • The BEA’s interactive data tool has historical time series for these estimations.
  • Register for BEA’s data application programming interface to have access to BEA data (API).
  • Refer to our monthly online publication, the Survey of Current Business, for further information on BEA statistics.
  • NIPA Handbook: U.S. National Income and Product Accounts Concepts and Methods

The value of the products and services generated by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production is known as gross domestic product (GDP) or value added. Personal consumption expenditures, gross private domestic investment, net exports of goods and services, and government consumption expenditures and gross investment are all included in GDP.

The sum of earnings earned and costs incurred in the production of GDP is known as gross domestic income (GDI). GDP and GDI are theoretically equivalent in national economic accounting. GDP and GDI differ in practice because they are calculated using mostly independent source data.

The value of products and services generated by a country’s economy is referred to as gross output. Industry sales or receipts, comprising sales to ultimate consumers (GDP) and sales to other industries, are mostly used to calculate it (intermediate inputs).

Estimates in current dollars are evaluated using the prices in effect at the time the transactions took place, or at “market value.” Also known as “current-price estimates” or “nominal estimates.”

Real values are estimates that have been corrected for inflation, i.e., estimates that do not include the effects of price fluctuations.

The price of final products and services purchased by U.S. residents is measured by the gross domestic purchases price index.

The price of goods and services purchased by, or on behalf of, “persons” is measured by the personal consumption expenditure price index.

Personal income is the money earned by, or on behalf of, all people from a variety of sources: working as a worker, owning a property or business, holding financial assets, and receiving money from the government or businesses in the form of transfers. It comprises income from both domestic and international sources. It excludes capital gains and losses, both realized and unrealized.

Individuals’ disposable personal income is the money they have available to spend or save. It’s the difference between personal income and personal current taxes.

The sum of personal consumption expenditures, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments is known as personal outlays.

Personal savings is personal income minus personal expenses and current taxes.

Personal savings as a percentage of disposable personal income is referred to as the personal saving rate.

Corporate profits with inventory valuation adjustment (IVA) and capital consumption (CCAdj) adjustment in the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs) is a measure of net income before income taxes that is compatible with the value of goods and services represented in GDP. The IVA and CCAdj are adjustments that translate inventory withdrawals and fixed asset depreciation recorded on a tax-return, historical-cost basis to the national income and product accounts’ current-cost economic measures. Profits for domestic industries indicate profits for all firms operating within the United States’ geographic limits. The difference between earnings collected from ROW and profits given to ROW is the rest-of-the-world (ROW) component of profits.

Annual rates vs. quarterly rates Unless otherwise stated, quarterly seasonally adjusted figures are provided at yearly rates. For BEA’s featured, seasonally adjusted metrics, this standard is utilized to make comparisons with relevant and historical data easier. See the FAQ “Why does BEA publish estimates at yearly rates?” for more information. Only quarterly rates are used to express non-seasonally adjusted numbers.

Changes in percentage. Unless otherwise noted, percent changes in quarterly seasonally adjusted figures are displayed at annual rates. The FAQs “How is average annual growth calculated?” and “Why does BEA publish percent changes in quarterly series at annual rates?” provide more information. Quarterly not seasonally adjusted values are compared to the same quarter a year ago to calculate percent changes. All reported percentage changes are based on unrounded data.

Quarters and calendar years Annual and quarterly data are presented on a calendar basis unless otherwise stated.

Quantities and prices are important. Quantities, sometimes known as “real” volume measures, and prices are stated as index numbers with a reference year of 100. (currently 2012). A Fisher-chained weighted method that integrates weights from two consecutive eras is used to construct quantity and price indexes (quarters for quarterly data and annuals for annual data). Refer to Chapter 4: Estimating Methods in the NIPA Handbook for more information on how to calculate quantity and price indices.

The quantity index is multiplied by the current dollar value in the reference year (2012), then divided by 100 to get chained-dollar values. The principle of percent changes determined from real quantity indexes and chained-dollar levels is the same; any variations are due to rounding. Because the relative weights for a specific period differ from those of the reference year, chained-dollar values are not additive. A “residual” line illustrates the difference between the sum of detailed chained-dollar series and its corresponding aggregate in tables that present chained-dollar values.

BEA releases three vintages of the current quarterly GDP estimate: “Advance” estimates are released near the end of the first month following the end of the quarter and are based on incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency; “second” and “third” estimates are released near the end of the second and third months, respectively, and are based on more detailed and more comprehensive data as they become available.

The table below displays, without respect to sign, the average adjustments to quarterly percent increases in real GDP between different estimate vintages.

In late July, annual and complete updates are usually provided. Annual updates typically cover at least the previous five calendar years (and their accompanying quarters) and include newly available significant annual source data as well as some adjustments in techniques and definitions to improve the accounts. At around 5-year intervals, comprehensive (or benchmark) upgrades are performed, which include important periodic source data as well as major conceptual enhancements.

Because data on domestic profits and net interest of domestic industries are not available, advance current quarterly estimates of GDI and corporate profits are not given, unlike GDP. These data are not accessible until the third estimate for fourth quarter estimates.

The third estimate of GDP includes estimates of GDP by industry and gross output.

What is a decent GDP level?

“In general, you would expect poorer countries to expand faster. “Once you’ve caught up with the frontier, the high-income countries, it’s more difficult to grow quickly,” Boal added. “We’re increasing at a rate of two to three percent faster than the population, which is a fantastic thing. That’s pretty much how things have gone over the last 20 years or so. That would be steady increase based on recent historical experience, which is healthy in that sense.”

4. GDP can be very high.

What does GDP signify in terms of business?

The total monetary or market worth of all finished goods and services produced inside a country’s borders in a certain time period is known as GDP. It serves as a comprehensive scorecard of a country’s economic health because it is a wide measure of entire domestic production.

What is the method for calculating GDP?

GDP is calculated by adding up the quantities of all commodities and services produced, multiplying them by their prices, and then adding them all up. GDP can be calculated using either the sum of what is purchased or the sum of what is generated in the economy. Consumption, investment, government, exports, and imports are the several types of demand.

Is it better to have a high or low GDP?

  • The gross domestic product (GDP) is the total monetary worth of all products and services exchanged in a given economy.
  • GDP growth signifies economic strength, whereas GDP decline indicates economic weakness.
  • When GDP is derived through economic devastation, such as a car accident or a natural disaster, rather than truly productive activity, it can provide misleading information.
  • By integrating more variables in the calculation, the Genuine Progress Indicator aims to enhance GDP.

How do you boost your GDP?

  • AD stands for aggregate demand (consumer spending, investment levels, government spending, exports-imports)
  • AS stands for aggregate supply (Productive capacity, the efficiency of economy, labour productivity)

To increase economic growth

1. An increase in total demand

  • Lower interest rates lower borrowing costs and boost consumer spending and investment.
  • Increased real wages when nominal salaries rise faster than inflation, consumers have more money to spend.
  • Depreciation reduces the cost of exports while raising the cost of imports, increasing domestic demand.
  • Growing wealth, such as rising house values, encourages people to spend more (since they are more confident and can refinance their home).

This represents a rise in total supply (productive capacity). This can happen as a result of:

  • In the nineteenth century, new technologies such as steam power and telegrams aided productivity. In the twenty-first century, the internet, artificial intelligence, and computers are all helping to boost productivity.
  • Workers become more productive when new management approaches, such as better industrial relations, are introduced.
  • Increased net migration, with a particular emphasis on workers with in-demand skills (e.g. builders, fruit pickers)
  • Infrastructure improvements, greater education spending, and other public-sector investments are examples of public-sector investment.

To what extent can the government increase economic growth?

A government can use demand-side and supply-side policies to try to influence the rate of economic growth.

  • Cutting taxes to raise disposable income and encourage spending is known as expansionary fiscal policy. Lower taxes, on the other hand, will increase the budget deficit and lead to more borrowing. When there is a drop in consumer expenditure, an expansionary fiscal policy is most appropriate.
  • Cutting interest rates can promote domestic demand. Expansionary monetary policy (currently usually set by an independent Central Bank).
  • Stability. The government’s primary job is to maintain economic and political stability, which allows for normal economic activity to occur. Uncertainty and political polarization can deter investment and growth.
  • Infrastructure investment, such as new roads, railway lines, and broadband internet, boosts productivity and lowers traffic congestion.

Factors beyond the government’s influence

  • It is difficult for the government to influence the rate of technical innovation because it tends to come from the private sector.
  • The private sector is in charge of labor relations and employee motivation. At best, the government has a minimal impact on employee morale and motivation.
  • Entrepreneurs are primarily self-motivated when it comes to starting a firm. Government restrictions and tax rates can have an impact on a business owner’s willingness to take risks.
  • The amount of money saved has an impact on growth (e.g. see Harrod-Domar model) Higher savings enable higher investment, yet influencing savings might be difficult for the government.
  • Willingness to put forth the effort. The vanquished countries of Germany and Japan had fast economic development in the postwar period, indicating a desire to rebuild after the war. The UK economy was less dynamic, which could be due to different views toward employment and a willingness to try new things.
  • Any economy is influenced significantly by global growth. It is extremely difficult for a single economy to avoid the costs of a global recession. The credit crunch of 2009, for example, had a detrimental impact on economic development in OECD countries.

In 2009, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom all went into recession. The greater recovery in the United States, on the other hand, could be attributed to different governmental measures. 2009/10 fiscal policy was expansionary, and monetary policy was looser.

Governments frequently overestimate their ability to boost productivity growth. Without government intervention, the private sector drives the majority of technological advancement. Supply-side measures can help boost efficiency to some level, but how much they can boost growth rates is questionable.

For example, after the 1980s supply-side measures, the government looked for a supply-side miracle that would allow for a significantly quicker pace of economic growth. The Lawson boom of the 1980s, however, proved unsustainable, and the UK’s growth rate stayed relatively constant at roughly 2.5 percent. Supply-side initiatives, at the very least, will take a long time to implement; for example, improving labor productivity through education and training will take many years.

There is far more scope for the government to increase growth rates in developing economies with significant infrastructure failures and a lack of basic amenities.

The potential for higher growth rates is greatly increased by providing basic levels of education and infrastructure.

The private sector is responsible for the majority of productivity increases. With a few exceptions, private companies are responsible for the majority of technical advancements. The great majority of productivity gains in the UK is due to new technologies developed by the private sector. I doubt the government’s ability to invest in new technologies to enhance productivity growth at this rate. (Though it is possible especially in times of conflict)

Economic growth in the UK

The UK economy has risen at a rate of 2.5 percent each year on average since 1945. Most economists believe that the UK’s productive capacity can grow at a rate of roughly 2.5 percent per year on average. The underlying trend rate is also known as the ‘trend rate of growth.’

Even when the government pursued supply-side reforms, they were largely ineffective in changing the long-run trend rate. (For example, in the 1980s, supply-side policies had minimal effect on the long-run trend rate.)

The graph below demonstrates how, since 2008, actual GDP has fallen below the trend rate. Because of the recession and a considerable drop in aggregate demand, this happened.

  • Improved private-sector technology that allows for increased labor productivity (e.g. development of computers enables greater productivity)
  • Infrastructure investment, such as the construction of new roads and train lines. The government is mostly responsible for this.

What is a low GDP rate?

Economists frequently agree that the ideal rate of GDP growth is between 2% and 3%. 5 To maintain a natural rate of unemployment, growth must be at least 3%.

Is income included in GDP?

  • All economic expenditures should equal the entire revenue created by the production of all economic products and services, according to the income approach to computing gross domestic product (GDP).
  • The expenditure technique, which starts with money spent on goods and services, is an alternative way for computing GDP.
  • The national income and product accounts (NIPA) are the foundation for calculating GDP and analyzing the effects of variables such as monetary and fiscal policies.

What does a low GDP indicate?

When GDP falls, the economy shrinks, which is terrible news for businesses and people. A recession is defined as a drop in GDP for two quarters in a row, which can result in pay freezes and job losses.

What is an example of GDP?

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a metric that measures the worth of a country’s economic activities. GDP is the sum of the market values, or prices, of all final goods and services produced in an economy during a given time period. Within this seemingly basic concept, however, there are three key distinctions:

  • GDP is a metric that measures the value of a country’s output in local currency.
  • GDP attempts to capture all final commodities and services generated within a country, ensuring that the final monetary value of everything produced in that country is represented in the GDP.
  • GDP is determined over a set time period, usually a year or quarter of a year.

Computing GDP

Let’s look at how to calculate GDP now that we know what it is. GDP is the monetary value of all the goods and services generated in an economy, as we all know. Consider Country B, which exclusively produces bananas and backrubs. In the first year, they produce 5 bananas for $1 each and 5 backrubs worth $6 each. This year’s GDP is (quantity of bananas X price of bananas) + (quantity of backrubs X price of backrubs), or (5 X $1) + (5 X $6) = $35 for the country. The equation grows longer as more commodities and services are created. For every good and service produced within the country, GDP = (quantity of A X price of A) + (quantity of B X price of B) + (quantity of whatever X price of whatever).

To compute GDP in the real world, the market values of many products and services must be calculated.

While GDP’s total output is essential, the breakdown of that output into the economy’s big structures is often just as important.

In general, macroeconomists utilize a set of categories to break down an economy into its key components; in this case, GDP is equal to the total of consumer spending, investment, government purchases, and net exports, as represented by the equation:

  • The sum of household expenditures on durable commodities, nondurable items, and services is known as consumer spending, or C. Clothing, food, and health care are just a few examples.
  • The sum of spending on capital equipment, inventories, and structures is referred to as investment (I).
  • Machinery, unsold items, and homes are just a few examples.
  • G stands for government spending, which is the total amount of money spent on products and services by all government agencies.
  • Naval ships and government employee wages are two examples.
  • Net exports, or NX, is the difference between foreigners’ spending on local goods and domestic residents’ expenditure on foreign goods.
  • Net exports, to put it another way, is the difference between exports and imports.

GDP vs. GNP

GDP is just one technique to measure an economy’s overall output. Another technique is to calculate the Gross National Product, or GNP. As previously stated, GDP is the total value of all products and services generated in a country. GNP narrows the definition slightly: it is the total value of all goods and services generated by permanent residents of a country, regardless of where they are located. The important distinction between GDP and GNP is based on how production is counted by foreigners in a country vs nationals outside of that country. Output by foreigners within a country is counted in the GDP of that country, whereas production by nationals outside of that country is not. Production by foreigners within a country is not considered for GNP, while production by nationals from outside the country is. GNP, on the other hand, is the value of goods and services produced by citizens of a country, whereas GDP is the value of goods and services produced by a country’s citizens.

For example, in Country B (shown in ), nationals produce bananas while foreigners produce backrubs.

Figure 1 shows that Country B’s GDP in year one is (5 X $1) + (5 X $6) = $35.

Because the $30 from backrubs is added to the GNP of the immigrants’ home country, the GNP of country B is (5 X $1) = $5.

The distinction between GDP and GNP is theoretically significant, although it is rarely relevant in practice.

GDP and GNP are usually quite close together because the majority of production within a country is done by its own citizens.

Macroeconomists use GDP as a measure of a country’s total output in general.

Growth Rate of GDP

GDP is a great way to compare the economy at two different times in time. This comparison can then be used to calculate a country’s overall output growth rate.

Subtract 1 from the amount obtained by dividing the GDP for the first year by the GDP for the second year to arrive at the GDP growth rate.

This technique of calculating total output growth has an obvious flaw: both increases in the price of products produced and increases in the quantity of goods produced result in increases in GDP.

As a result, determining whether the volume of output is changing or the price of output is changing from the GDP growth rate is challenging.

Because of this constraint, an increase in GDP does not always suggest that an economy is increasing.

For example, if Country B produced 5 bananas value $1 each and 5 backrubs of $6 each in a year, the GDP would be $35.

If the price of bananas rises to $2 next year and the quantity produced remains constant, Country B’s GDP will be $40.

While the market value of Country B’s goods and services increased, the quantity of goods and services produced remained unchanged.

Because fluctuations in GDP are not always related to economic growth, this factor can make comparing GDP from one year to the next problematic.

Real GDP vs. Nominal GDP

Macroeconomists devised two types of GDP, nominal GDP and real GDP, to deal with the uncertainty inherent in GDP growth rates.

  • The total worth of all produced goods and services at current prices is known as nominal GDP. This is the GDP that was discussed in the previous parts. When comparing sheer output with time rather than the value of output, nominal GDP is more informative than real GDP.
  • The total worth of all produced goods and services at constant prices is known as real GDP.
  • The prices used to calculate real GDP are derived from a certain base year.
  • It is possible to compare economic growth from one year to the next in terms of production of goods and services rather than the market value of these products and services by leaving prices constant in the computation of real GDP.
  • In this way, real GDP removes the effects of price fluctuations from year-to-year output comparisons.

Choosing a base year is the first step in computing real GDP. Use the GDP equation with year 3 numbers and year 1 prices to calculate real GDP in year 3 using year 1 as the base year. Real GDP equals (10 X $1) + (9 X $6) = $64 in this situation. The nominal GDP in year three is (10 X $2) + (9 X $6) = $74 in comparison. Because the price of bananas climbed from year one to year three, nominal GDP grew faster than actual GDP during this period.

GDP Deflator

Nominal GDP and real GDP convey various aspects of the shift when comparing GDP between years. Nominal GDP takes into account both quantity and price changes. Real GDP, on the other hand, just measures changes in quantity and is unaffected by price fluctuations. Because of this distinction, a third relevant statistic can be calculated once nominal and real GDP have been computed. The GDP deflator is the nominal GDP to real GDP ratio minus one for a particular year. The GDP deflator, in effect, shows how much of the change in GDP from a base year is due to changes in the price level.

Let’s say we want to calculate the GDP deflator for Country B in year 3 using as the base year.

To calculate the GDP deflator, we must first calculate both nominal and real GDP in year 3.

By rearranging the elements in the GDP deflator equation, nominal GDP may be calculated by multiplying real GDP and the GDP deflator.

This equation displays the distinct information provided by each of these output measures.

Changes in quantity are captured by real GDP.

Changes in the price level are captured by the GDP deflator.

Nominal GDP takes into account both price and quantity changes.

You can break down a change in GDP into its component changes in price level and change in quantities produced using nominal GDP, real GDP, and the GDP deflator.

GDP Per Capita

When describing the size and growth of a country’s economy, GDP is the single most helpful number. However, it’s crucial to think about how GDP relates to living standards. After all, a country’s economy is less essential to its residents than the level of living it delivers.

GDP per capita, calculated by dividing GDP by the population size, represents the average amount of GDP received by each individual, and hence serves as an excellent indicator of an economy’s level of life.

The value of GDP per capita is the income of a representative individual because GDP equals national income.

This figure is directly proportional to one’s standard of living.

In general, the higher a country’s GDP per capita, the higher its level of living.

Because of the differences in population between countries, GDP per capita is a more relevant indicator for measuring level of living than GDP.

If a country has a high GDP but a large population, each citizen may have a low income and so live in deplorable circumstances.

A country, on the other hand, may have a moderate GDP but a small population, resulting in a high individual income.

By comparing standard of living among countries using GDP per capita, the problem of GDP division among a country’s residents is avoided.

In 2021, what would India’s GDP be?

In its second advance estimates of national accounts released on Monday, the National Statistical Office (NSO) forecasted the country’s growth for 2021-22 at 8.9%, slightly lower than the 9.2% estimated in its first advance estimates released in January.

Furthermore, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reduced its estimates of GDP contraction for the coronavirus pandemic-affected last fiscal year (2020-21) to 6.6 percent. The previous projection was for a 7.3% decrease.

In April-June 2020, the Indian economy contracted 23.8 percent, and in July-September 2020, it contracted 6.6 percent.

“While an adverse base was expected to flatten growth in Q3 FY2022, the NSO’s initial estimates are far below our expectations (6.2 percent for GDP), with a marginal increase in manufacturing and a contraction in construction that is surprising given the heavy rains in the southern states,” said Aditi Nayar, Chief Economist at ICRA.

“GDP at constant (2011-12) prices is estimated at Rs 38.22 trillion in Q3 of 2021-22, up from Rs 36.26 trillion in Q3 of 2020-21, indicating an increase of 5.4 percent,” according to an official release.

According to the announcement, real GDP (GDP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant (2011-12) prices is expected to reach Rs 147.72 trillion in 2021-22, up from Rs 135.58 trillion in the first updated estimate announced on January 31, 2022.

GDP growth is expected to be 8.9% in 2021-22, compared to a decline of 6.6 percent in 2020-21.

In terms of value, GDP in October-December 2021-22 was Rs 38,22,159 crore, up from Rs 36,22,220 crore in the same period of 2020-21.

According to NSO data, the manufacturing sector’s Gross Value Added (GVA) growth remained nearly steady at 0.2 percent in the third quarter of 2021-22, compared to 8.4 percent a year ago.

GVA growth in the farm sector was weak in the third quarter, at 2.6 percent, compared to 4.1 percent a year before.

GVA in the construction sector decreased by 2.8%, compared to 6.6% rise a year ago.

The electricity, gas, water supply, and other utility services segment grew by 3.7 percent in the third quarter of current fiscal year, compared to 1.5 percent growth the previous year.

Similarly, trade, hotel, transportation, communication, and broadcasting services expanded by 6.1 percent, compared to a decline of 10.1 percent a year ago.

In Q3 FY22, financial, real estate, and professional services growth was 4.6 percent, compared to 10.3 percent in Q3 FY21.

During the quarter under examination, public administration, defense, and other services expanded by 16.8%, compared to a decrease of 2.9 percent a year earlier.

Meanwhile, China’s economy grew by 4% between October and December of 2021.

“India’s GDP growth for Q3FY22 was a touch lower than our forecast of 5.7 percent, as the manufacturing sector grew slowly and the construction industry experienced unanticipated de-growth.” We have, however, decisively emerged from the pandemic recession, with all sectors of the economy showing signs of recovery.

“Going ahead, unlock trade will help growth in Q4FY22, as most governments have eliminated pandemic-related limitations, but weak rural demand and geopolitical shock from the Russia-Ukraine conflict may impair global growth and supply chains.” The impending pass-through of higher oil and gas costs could affect domestic demand mood, according to Elara Capital economist Garima Kapoor.

“Strong growth in the services sector and a pick-up in private final consumption expenditure drove India’s real GDP growth to 5.4 percent in Q3.” While agriculture’s growth slowed in Q3, the construction sector’s growth became negative.

“On the plus side, actual expenditure levels in both the private and public sectors are greater than they were before the pandemic.

“Given the encouraging trends in government revenues and spending until January 2022, as well as the upward revision in the nominal GDP growth rate for FY22, the fiscal deficit to GDP ratio for FY22 may come out better than what the (federal) budget projected,” said Rupa Rege Nitsure, group chief economist, L&T Financial Holdings.

“The growth number is pretty disappointing,” Sujan Hajra, chief economist of Mumbai-based Anand Rathi Securities, said, citing weaker rural consumer demand and investments as reasons.

After crude prices soared beyond $100 a barrel, India, which imports virtually all of its oil, might face a wider trade imbalance, a weaker rupee, and greater inflation, with a knock to GDP considered as the main concern.

“We believe the fiscal and monetary policy accommodation will remain, given the geopolitical volatility and crude oil prices,” Hajra added.

According to Nomura, a 10% increase in oil prices would shave 0.2 percentage points off India’s GDP growth while adding 0.3 to 0.4 percentage points to retail inflation.

Widening sanctions against Russia are likely to have a ripple impact on India, according to Sakshi Gupta, senior economist at HDFC Bank.

“We see a 20-30 basis point downside risk to our base predictions,” she said. For the time being, HDFC expects the GDP to rise 8.2% in the coming fiscal year.