The Gross Domestic Product of the United States of America grew in the first quarter of this year, which ended in March, in the initial reading, according to the report of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, issued just before, by 1.1%, compared to a growth of about 2.6% in the fourth quarter of last year, while expectations were for a growth of 2%.

The gross domestic product in dollars increased by 6.5% at an annual rate, or $379.9 billion, to reach $24.38 trillion.

On the other hand, the number of weekly unemployment insurance claims rose to 230,000 in the past week ending on April 22, an increase of 16,000.