Growth & Output
GDP growth rate
The GDP growth rate is the percentage change in a country's real (inflation-adjusted) GDP from one period to the next, usually reported quarter-over-quarter or year-over-year. An economy growing at 2.5% year-over-year is expanding steadily; two consecutive quarters of negative growth is the common rule-of-thumb definition of a recession.
Why it matters
It's the single most-watched number for judging whether an economy is expanding, stalling, or contracting.
Also known as: real GDP growth, economic growth rate