The ASX 200 just had its slowest quarter in 12 months

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a real growth rate of only 1.0% in the March 2021 quarter. It was the slowest rate of change for the index in the past year. It should be noted the previous three quarters were thrown into turmoil by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The real growth rate is calculated by subtracting the consumer price index (CPI), or inflation, from the share market’s rate of growth. The ASX 200 grew by 1.6% and inflation was 0.6% for the quarter. CPI figures were released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Slow quarter in a fast year

While the previous quarter may have been slow, the last year has been anything but for the ASX 200. It had a real growth rate of 28.0% between 1 April 2020…