GDP growth forecast: Eastern Europe, U.S., U.K. and Germany 2010-2027
What is GDP?
GDP is an important indicator to measure the economic strength of a country. It is the sum of all the consumption, investment, government expenditures, and net exports in a country. For this reason, consumer confidence can give an idea of future GDP growth. Similarly, stock exchanges such as the S&P 500 index can give an idea of the investment trends in an economy. Government spending tends to be more constant, and net exports are generally a smaller component of overall GDP. In fact, a negative trade balance can fuel an economy by boosting domestic consumption and investment.
Not included in GDP
GDP does not account for some factors. For example, existing infrastructure is not a part of the GDP calculation, though a thriving economy would be impossible without it. Nevertheless, GDP is the most widespread measure of economic performance because of its simplicity and wide scope.