Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators Panelists Now Anticipate Softer-Than-Previously Predicted Real GDP Growth This Quarter, but Leave Consensus Forecast of Annual Growth Unchanged

NEW YORK, March 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The consensus forecast of real GDP growth this quarter fell a moderate 0.3 of a percentage point over the past month to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate (saar) of 1.9 percent, according to the March issue of Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators. The decline resulted from lowered expectations of growth in personal consumption expenditures, inventory building, and government spending, coupled with a wider trade deficit.

However, the consensus forecast of real GDP growth in the second quarter of this year increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 2.5 percent (saar). As a result, consensus forecasts of the annual and fourth quarter-over-quarter change in 2017 real GDP growth went unchanged at 2.3 percent.

"The consensus forecast of the annual change in 2017 real GDP growth has remained within a range of 2.2 to 2.3 percent since April of last year, and for a third consecutive month, the consensus forecast that real GDP growth in 2018 will register an annual increase of 2.4 percent," said Randell E. Moore, executive editor of Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators. "However, failure by Republicans in Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to pass tax reform legislation this year would likely prompt panelists to cut their forecasts of economic growth for 2017 and 2018."

Other consensus findings from the March issue of Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey include:

• The Consumer Price Index still is forecast to register an annual increase of 2.5 percent this year, the highest since 2011.
• Nominal or current dollar GDP is forecast to increase 1.4 percentage points more this year than last, but real or inflation-adjusted GDP by only 0.8 of a percentage point. The difference is the result of faster inflation this year than last.
• Housing starts are expected to total 1.26 million units this year, the highest since 2007.

About Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators
Established in 1976, Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators has become synonymous with the latest in expert opinion on the future performance of the U.S. economy by presenting the forecasts of 50 economists from the nation's largest and most respected manufacturers, banks, insurance companies, and brokerage firms. The newsletter compiles the experts' individual and combined forecasts for the current and following year for variables including, but not limited to, real GDP, consumer price index, industrial production, real disposable personal income, pre-tax corporate profits, unemployment rates and real net exports.

For more information on Wolters Kluwer's Blue Chip Economic Indicators please visit wolterskluwerlr.com/bluechip.

About Wolters Kluwer
Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is a part of Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL), a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2016 annual revenues of €4.3 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide.

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