Probe Begun in GNP ‘Flash’ Leak

Commerce Department investigators said today that they have called in the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission to help find out who leaked last week’s “flash” estimate of the gross national product.

Some Wall Street traders learned the department estimate of third-quarter growth early enough Thursday to make a profit on a swing in bond prices provoked by the news. The statistic, an unexpectedly low growth rate of 2.8%, was not officially released until 8:30 a.m. Friday.