Use the contributions tables to show how important a component is to an increase (or decrease) in GDP or a major component of GDP. For example:
- Consumer spending accounted for 2.2 percentage points of the 3.6-percent increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter of 2003. This means that had consumer spending neither increased nor decreased in the fourth quarter, GDP would have increased 1.4 percent. (Contributions to percent change in real GDP may be found in table 2 in the GDP news release or in table 1.1.2 of the NIPA tables.)
- Business investment in software accounted for 0.4 percentage point of the 3.6-percent increase in private fixed investment in 2003. This means that had investment in software neither increased nor decreased in 2003, private fixed investment would have increased 3.2 percent. (Contributions to percent change in real private fixed investment may be found in table 5.3.2 of the NIPA tables.)
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