WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased at a 1.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to data estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) at the Commerce Department. Overall, the economy expanded by 2.2% last year, lower than the 2.8% growth in 2024, according to the BEA. BEA estimates the federal government shutdown created a reduction in services provided by the federal government that subtracted about 1.0 percentage point from real GDP growth in Q4. The 2025 U.S. federal government shutdown lasted 43 days, running from October 1, 2025, through November 12, 2025, making it the longest shutdown in American history. Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Economic Opportunity aims to educate the public about how government policies impact people’s opportunities for economic development and upward mobility.

Source: Irish Independent February 20, 2026 19:16 UTC