U.S. GDP expands a disappointing 0.2 percent in first quarter

Scant increase in Gross Domestic Product. — (Image credit: (Scott Olson/Getty Images))

There is a long list of factors reportedly contributing to the lower-than expected numbers, including severe winter weather, a slowdown at West Coast ports due to a strike, a stronger U.S. dollar, weak global demand, and lower oil prices, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to the country's weak growth, prices also fell 2 percent, the most since the first quarter of 2009. With such little economic reassurance from the Commerce Department's report Wednesday, it is unlikely the Federal Reserve will raise inflation rates before September.

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.