Dow Jumps After Q3 GDP Data Beats Expectations

By Liz Moyer

Investing.com -- The Dow jumped after data that showed the economy expanded in the third quarter after two quarters of shrinking output.

At 11:02 ET (15:02 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 401 points or 1.3%, while the S&P 500 was up 0.1% and the NASDAQ Composite was down 0.7%.

The Commerce Department’s first reading of gross domestic product for the most recent quarter showed a gain of 2.6%. Meanwhile, the core PCE price index was aligned with expectations and slowed from the second quarter.

GDP compares to a drop of 0.6% in the second quarter and a drop of 1.6% in the first quarter, and it beat expectations for a gain of 2.4% in the third quarter. Traditionally, two quarters in a row of contraction signals a recession, but the Biden administration had consistently argued that the economy wasn’t in a recession, especially given the strong labor market.

Exports of industrial supplies and materials, travel and financial services rose and consumer spending increased. Investing in housing fell.

New jobless claims of 217,000 last week also came in lighter than expected. On Friday, investors will see data on a key inflation gauge watched by the Federal Reserve.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) stock fell 23% after reporting a drop in revenue and profit as expenses soared. The parent of Facebook is paring back its workforce amid a drop in digital advertising.

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) stock rose 3.7% after the fast-food chain beat expectations for the quarter and said traffic is growing even though it raised menu prices.

Oil rose. Crude Oil WTI Futures was up 1.8% to $89.42 a barrel, and Brent Oil Futures rose 1.2% to $94.94 a barrel. Gold Futures fell 0.1% to $1667.