How does the S&P 500 react to US GDP?
In the first 30 minutes after US GDP, the S&P 500 has typically moved 0.13% either way (the median of the last 24 releases, 30 Oct 2024 to 30 Sep 2026), and 0.32% after 4 hours. The first move held to the close on 14 of 24 releases. When it came in above the forecast, S&P 500 fell in the first 30 minutes on 7 of 11, median −0.09%. When it came in below the forecast, S&P 500 split evenly in the first 30 minutes (up on 5, down on 5 of 10). The largest first-30-minute move was −0.96% on 30 Apr 2025.
What the numbers say
The move has usually kept going after the first half hour: the typical 4-hour move (0.32%) is 2.6 times the first 30 minutes. The first reaction held to the close 58% of the time, close to a coin flip. Surprises in either direction have moved S&P 500 opposite ways: median −0.09% when the figure came in above the forecast and +0.00% when it came in below the forecast.
The last 12 releases
Each row is one US GDP release: the figure against the forecast, then S&P 500 over the first 30 minutes and the first 4 hours, then the whole release day (the close the day before to the close of the release day).
| Release | Actual vs forecast | First 30 min | First 4 hours | Release-day close |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 2026 (Q2) | 2.2% vs 1.5% beat | +0.14% | +0.31% | −0.21% |
| 26 Aug 2026 (Q2) | 1.5% vs 1.5% in line | −0.22% | −0.21% | −0.03% |
| 30 Jul 2026 (Q2) | 1.5% vs 2.1% missed | −0.02% | +0.33% | +1.65% |
| 25 Jun 2026 (Q1) | 2.1% vs 1.6% beat | +0.15% | −0.51% | −0.07% |
| 28 May 2026 (Q1) | 1.6% vs 2% missed | +0.22% | +0.70% | +0.55% |
| 30 Apr 2026 (Q1) | 2% vs 2.3% missed | +0.13% | +0.07% | +1.06% |
| 9 Apr 2026 (Q4) | 0.5% vs 0.7% missed | +0.03% | +0.69% | +0.58% |
| 13 Mar 2026 (Q4) | 0.7% vs 1.4% missed | +0.06% | −0.88% | −0.62% |
| 20 Feb 2026 (Q4) | 1.4% vs 3% missed | −0.12% | +0.68% | +0.67% |
| 22 Jan 2026 (Q3) | 4.4% vs 4.3% beat | +0.14% | +0.10% | +0.51% |
| 23 Dec 2025 (Q3) | 4.3% vs 3.3% beat | −0.18% | +0.33% | +0.44% |
| 30 Oct 2025 (Q3) | 4.3% vs 3% beat | −0.45% | −0.49% | −0.97% |
Sources: Yahoo Finance 5-minute and hourly bars, the TradingView economic calendar (actual and forecast), Yahoo Finance daily bars for the release day. Gold is COMEX futures, US indices are CME futures.
How traders prepare for US GDP
- US GDP has landed at 8:30 New York on most of these releases. Every window on this page is measured from that minute.
- The 4 hours before the print drifted the same way as the move after it on 9 of 24 releases, so the drift in has more often pointed the wrong way.
- The typical first-hour range, high to low, has been 0.24%. A stop or a limit order closer than that to the price at the print has usually been reached by the release noise alone.
- Over the longer run, since 29 Jan 2016: on 55 releases above the forecast S&P 500 closed the day higher 27 of 55 times; on 44 releases below the forecast S&P 500 closed the day higher 31 of 44 times. That is the whole day, other news included.
- The prices are mid quotes from intraday bars, not a broker's fill: spreads widen around a release, so a real order can fill worse than these numbers.
The next release
The next scheduled US GDP release is 29 Oct 2026 at 8:30 New York (12:30 UTC), on the public economic calendar. This page refreshes on its own once that release has been measured.
See this before every release, free
The free section's calendar Playbook shows this same history on every release before it prints: what S&P 500 and the other main markets did on hotter and cooler figures, and the first hours after.
Open the free section →FAQ
How much does S&P 500 move after US GDP?
Over the last 24 releases the median first-30-minute move was 0.13% and the median 4-hour move was 0.32%. It rose in the first 30 minutes on 10 and fell on 14.
What does S&P 500 do when US GDP beats or misses the forecast?
When it came in above the forecast, S&P 500 fell in the first 30 minutes on 7 of 11, median −0.09%. When it came in below the forecast, S&P 500 split evenly in the first 30 minutes (up on 5, down on 5 of 10).
Does the first move after US GDP hold?
On 14 of 24 releases the first 30 minutes and the close moved the same way.
When is the next US GDP release?
29 Oct 2026 at 8:30 New York (12:30 UTC), on the public economic calendar.