In other news, Google parent Alphabet's shares surged after a strong first-quarter earnings report, and ghostwriting for executives' LinkedIn profiles is becoming a big business. Meanwhile, AI investments are being made aggressively by tech companies like Meta, but returns on these investments might take a while to realize. This could potentially affect the wider market that has relied on the trend to keep its rally going.
Key takeaways:
- New data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows a significant drop in US real gross domestic product, rising at an annualized rate of 1.6% in the first quarter, down from last quarter's growth of 3.4%.
- Fears of stagflation, a condition where economic growth slows while inflation and unemployment rise, have started to emerge following the report.
- Google parent company Alphabet's first-quarter earnings exceeded analysts' expectations, leading to a 12% surge in its stock ahead of Friday's opening bell.
- LinkedIn profiles of some executives are being managed by PR firms, turning ghostwriting into a booming business.