The economy is growing – but soaring energy prices could put a damper on that
The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2% in the first quarter of 2026, showing improvement from the previous quarter. Despite this positive momentum, rising energy prices are raising concerns about future economic growth. Higher fuel costs could reduce consumer spending and business investment, potentially slowing the economy in the coming months.
- ▪The U.S. economy grew at a 2% annual pace in the first three months of 2026.
- ▪Growth in the previous quarter was weaker than the 2% recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
- ▪Soaring energy prices are a key concern for sustained economic expansion.
- ▪Higher energy costs may reduce consumer spending and business investment.
- ▪The economic data comes from an NPR report published on April 30, 2026.
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Economy The economy is growing – but soaring energy prices could put a damper on that April 30, 20265:58 PM ET Scott Horsley economic roundup Listen · 3:43 3:43 Toggle more options Download Embed Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5805905/nx-s1-9751842" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> The U.S. economy grew at an annual pace of 2% in the first three months of the year. That's an improvement from the previous quarter. But soaring energy prices could put a damper on growth. Sponsor Message Facebook Flipboard Email
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NPR — Business.
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