The second reading of Q2 GDP saw the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) raise its estimate from 1.7% to 2.5% on an annualised basis.

Economists had expected an annualised expansion of 2.2%.

The BEA said the upwards revision was largely due to stronger export growth and weaker import growth than initially estimated.

Aside from government spending, all sectors of the economy made a positive contribution to the headline GDP number, which follows a Q1 reading of 1.1%.

Latest jobs data, meanwhile, showed US weekly jobless claims fell 6,000 to 331,000 last week, also ahead of expectations and another small sign of an improving employment picture.

Ten-year US treasury yields rose five basis points to 2.82% on the data, with the US dollar strengthening against the yen.

Tensions over the prospect of Western military action in Syria have weighed on yields this week, bringing them down from the two-year high of over 2.9% reached last Thursday.

With yields rising, US equity market futures suggest the Dow Jones will open 0.3% higher following today’s data.