Economy Shrinks for First Time in Three Years
09-08-2014
For the first time in three years, the U.S. economy shrank, the Commerce Department announced Thursday.
In the first quarter of 2014, the nation's gross domestic product fell 1 percent.
The news comes after early government estimates predicted the economy would grow by .1 percent between January and March.
Economists blame the bad winter weather for the shrinking GDP -- and many expect a rebound in the April-June quarter.
"For those worried about a recession, it's worth remembering that employment increased by nearly 300,000 in April," USA Today quoted economist Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics. "Those numbers point to a recovery gathering some real momentum at last."