U.S. real gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2012, according to the advance estimate released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 2.0 percent.

Growth in the staffing industry is strongly correlated with GDP growth, according to research from Staffing Industry Analysts.

The growth rate announced today is above some estimates. Bloomberg reported the median forecast of economists it surveyed had expected growth of 1.4 percent.