The Economy Survived 2025, But Many Americans Are Reeling
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- Despite a turbulent year marked by trade wars, market volatility, and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the economy has shown unexpected resilience.
- Many Americans remain concerned about job security, financial stress, and economic prospects as they enter 2026.
- Recent economic data, delayed by the shutdown, indicates a mixed but stable economy with decent job growth, rising unemployment, solid retail sales, slower wage growth, and cooling yet still elevated inflation.
- Contrary to earlier fears of recession and runaway inflation due to tariffs, third-quarter GDP growth was robust, with full-year 2025 output expected to grow about 1.5 percent, signaling slowdown but no recession.
