UBS(US:UBS) Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-07-30 10:41Core Viewpoint - The upcoming U.S. Q2 GDP data may show a strong rebound on paper, but it is likely misleading due to underlying weaknesses in consumer spending and business investment, indicating a slowdown in the economy's potential momentum [1][2]. Economic Growth and Trade - The anticipated Q2 GDP growth is projected at 2.4%, reversing the Q1 contraction of 0.5%, with UBS raising its forecast to 2.6% [1][2]. - This growth is primarily driven by a significant contribution from net exports, expected to add up to 4.1 percentage points to GDP growth, following a sharp decline in imports, which are projected to drop over 25% [2][5]. Domestic Demand and Consumer Spending - Domestic demand, which constitutes over two-thirds of the U.S. economy, is showing concerning signs, with consumer spending expected to only achieve a modest recovery in Q2 after stagnation in Q1 [7]. - Business investment in equipment is also anticipated to remain flat or potentially decline, reflecting weak consumer confidence, as indicated by a slight increase in the consumer confidence index to 97.2, still below the average of 104.5 for 2024 [7][8]. Labor Market and Federal Reserve Policy - The labor market's performance is crucial for the Federal Reserve's policy decisions, with expectations that the Fed will maintain its interest rate range of 4.25%-4.50% amid mixed economic signals [8]. - Job openings have decreased significantly, with June seeing a reduction of 275,000 positions, bringing the total to 7.44 million, and the hiring rate nearing the lowest point of the current expansion cycle [8][11]. Long-term Economic Challenges - The long-term outlook for the U.S. economy faces structural challenges, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that recent fiscal policies will increase the national debt by $3.4 trillion over the next decade, while only providing a modest GDP boost of 0.5% [11].