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() The latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast will drop Thursday, offering a clearer picture of how President Donald Trump’s tariffs have affected the U.S. economy.
Thursday’s estimate is the third for the second quarter of 2025. The previous two were above expectations showing increased economic growth after a 0.5% pullback in the first quarter.
Analysts expect the sunny estimates to hold, with predictions pointing to a 3.3% growth in the economy.
The Q3 GDP will be released on Oct. 30, and some economists, investors and CEOs fear the country’s economy may be headed backward in that report because of sustained tariffs.
Yale’s Budget Lab estimates tariffs will result in a 0.5% decline in U.S. GDP both this year and next. It also forecasts a 0.3% rise in unemployment by the end of the year and a 0.7% rise by the end of 2026.
The predicted economic conditions are making it difficult for businesses to expand. Some companies are halting growth plans, while others are moving forward at great risk.
Northwestern Holdings CEO David Feniger told his steel company is still making major capital investments, despite “scary” low demand in the past eight months.
“We had planned this prior to Trump. But we’re getting set back because we’re getting hurt on all our other business sides with the economy,” he said. “So, we’re trying to still put all this money into the business while we’re not making it.”
To invest as planned, Feniger resorted to “pulling out all savings in cash that we have.”
“It’s putting us in a worse position than we were prior,” he said.
Northwestern Holdings is the only manufacturer of U-channel fence posts in the United States. However, it still cannot compete due to the economic uncertainty gripping households and businesses.