<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The business cycle, also known as the economic cycle or trade cycle, is the downward and upward movement of gross domestic product (GDP) around its long - term growth trend . The length of a business cycle is the period of time containing a single boom and contraction in sequence . These fluctuations typically involve shifts over time between periods of relatively rapid economic growth (expansions or booms), and periods of relative stagnation or decline (contractions or recessions). </P> <P> Business cycles are usually measured by considering the growth rate of real gross domestic product . Despite the often - applied term cycles, these fluctuations in economic activity do not exhibit uniform or predictable periodicity . </P>

The upward part of the business cycle is called the