US GDP report quick answer: The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) schedules its third estimate of second-quarter 2026 GDP for Wednesday, September 30 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The release is broader than a single growth number: BEA lists GDP by industry, corporate profits, state GDP, state personal income and 2025 state PCE alongside the national GDP update. This guide separates the confirmed schedule, the last official baseline and the numbers worth verifying when the data arrives.
Last reviewed: September 22, 2026. This is an informational calendar and data-reading guide, not investment advice.
US GDP report: confirmed release time and coverage
| Item | Confirmed detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | Wednesday, September 30, 2026 |
| Release time | 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time |
| National GDP | Third estimate for the second quarter of 2026 |
| Related data | GDP by industry, corporate profits, state GDP, state personal income and 2025 state PCE |
| Primary source | BEA release schedule |
BEA’s official schedule is the source for the date and time. The separate Core PCE release guide covers the Personal Income and Outlays release that is also scheduled for that morning; the releases answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable.
The last official GDP baseline
Before the third estimate, BEA’s second estimate put real GDP growth at a 1.5% annual rate in the second quarter of 2026, after a 2.1% annual rate in the first quarter. BEA said consumer spending, exports and investment added to second-quarter growth, while government spending declined; imports increased, which subtracts from GDP in the national accounts.
That 1.5% figure is a published historical baseline, not a forecast for the September 30 release. The third estimate can revise the level, the growth rate, the contributions or the historical series. Readers should compare the new release with the then-current BEA tables rather than with a headline pulled from an old news story.
Read BEA’s second-estimate release and technical notes for the original definitions and revision discussion.
What makes this GDP release more important than a routine update?
BEA says its 2026 annual updates to the national, industry and regional accounts begin on September 30. That means a reader should expect more than a simple headline revision: the release schedule pairs national GDP with industry, state and corporate-profit information. Revisions can affect comparisons with earlier quarters, so a one-line change in the annualized rate does not tell the whole story.
Five checks to make when the release appears
- Headline real GDP: Record the annualized quarter-over-quarter rate, then compare it with the prior 1.5% second estimate.
- Contributions: Check consumer spending, business investment, housing, government spending, exports and imports separately. A similar headline can conceal very different drivers.
- Price measures: Read the GDP price-related tables alongside real GDP; do not substitute an inflation measure from another release.
- Corporate profits and industry detail: Identify whether the update changes the sector-level story rather than assuming a market-wide conclusion.
- Revisions and annual-update notes: Note whether BEA revises prior quarters or long-run series before comparing charts across articles.
How to read an annualized GDP rate
BEA typically presents real GDP growth at an annual rate for the quarter. That is not the same as saying the economy produced 1.5% more goods and services in one calendar month, and it is not a forecast of the next quarter. The practical discipline is to state the period, the measure and whether a number was revised.
For macro events that can shape rate expectations after the fact, see our next Fed meeting guide. A GDP release is one input into a broader policy and economic picture, not a standalone trading signal.
US GDP report FAQ
When is the next US GDP report?
BEA schedules the third estimate of second-quarter 2026 GDP for September 30, 2026 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
What was the last reported Q2 2026 GDP growth rate?
BEA’s second estimate reported a 1.5% annualized increase in real GDP for the second quarter of 2026. The September 30 update may revise that figure.
Does the GDP report predict stocks?
No. GDP measures broad economic activity. Any asset-market reaction depends on the released details, expectations, valuations and other information available at the time.