# U.S. Third-Quarter GDP Growth Accelerates to 3.4%, Beating Forecasts

By Enna Lee

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/investing/43637
Published: 2026-10-29T15:34:04.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-29T15:34:04.000Z
Section: Investing

> The preliminary annualized rate topped the 3.2% forecast and followed 2.2% growth in the second quarter. AI data-center and equipment investment supported the expansion.

U.S. economic growth accelerated to a 3.4% annualized rate in the third quarter, topping the 3.2% forecast and giving markets a stronger growth reading to weigh in their interest-rate outlook.

The preliminary real GDP reading climbed 1.2 percentage points from the 2.2% pace in the second quarter. The gap between the reported rate and forecast was 0.2 percentage point, leaving growth above market expectations for the period.

Businesses’ investment in AI data centers and high-tech equipment helped support the expansion. Companies invested heavily in those areas this year, making AI-related capital spending a meaningful part of the growth picture. Consumer spending also remained strong despite continued inflation pressures.

The mix of business outlays and resilient household spending keeps attention on how U.S. demand and inflation interact with expectations for interest rates. Those expectations can shape financial conditions and broader risk appetite, including in crypto markets, making the GDP reading relevant beyond traditional economic measures.