Real gross domestic product in the United States increased 3.2 percent in the first quarter of 2019, according to the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis, and was driven by consumption and fixed non-residential investments. As imports declined due to the large inventory buildup in the last quarter of 2018, the negative impact of that on GDP was lower than normal. In contrast, the US Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index from IHS Markit was at 52.6 in April, up from both Mar