19 votes

What US recession? It's a summer of splurging, profits and girl power

20 comments

  1. [17]
    drannex
    Link
    We were then officially in a recession in Dec. 2007. I am not saying that we are heading towards one, or that we are in one, but just saying when there is talk about how the average person thinks...

    "As we begin this New Year, America's businesses and entrepreneurs are creating new jobs every day. Workers are making more money -- their paychecks are going further. Consumers are confident, investors are optimistic. Just today, we learned that America's economy grew at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006. That means our economy grew at 3.4 percent last year, which is up from 3.1 percent in 2005. Ladies and gentlemen: The state of our economy is strong. (Applause.) And with the hard work of the American people and the right policies in Washington, we're going to make it even stronger. " — GW Bush, Jan 2007, State of the Union.

    "Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Wednesday he doesn't believe the economy will slip into a recession and rejected the notion raised by his predecessor, Alan Greenspan, that the economic expansion, which started in late 2001, could be running out of steam." — March 2007

    "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers on Thursday the U.S. economy did not appear headed for recession, but warned growth could prove weaker than expected and inflation higher" — October 2007

    We were then officially in a recession in Dec. 2007.

    I am not saying that we are heading towards one, or that we are in one, but just saying when there is talk about how the average person thinks we're heading towards one, we tend to end up in one. Prepare accordingly, all the megacorps already have.

    23 votes
    1. [5]
      stu2b50
      Link Parent
      Sure, in the same way that a broken clock with its hands permanently stuck at 12:00 correctly predicts that the time is 12:00 every time it is 12:00. Or the fact that 100% of humans that drink...

      just saying when there is talk about how the average person thinks we're heading towards one, we tend to end up in one

      Sure, in the same way that a broken clock with its hands permanently stuck at 12:00 correctly predicts that the time is 12:00 every time it is 12:00.

      Or the fact that 100% of humans that drink water have died.

      20 votes
      1. [4]
        vord
        Link Parent
        Considering there's been a market crash every decade or so since I was born, I'd wager its less a broken clock and more that the average person is clued in to reality and not discussing abstract...

        Considering there's been a market crash every decade or so since I was born, I'd wager its less a broken clock and more that the average person is clued in to reality and not discussing abstract macroeconomics and financial derivatives of derivatives.

        "Oh it's just microeconomics, you can't judge the economy at that scale" is the refrain of economists who are so abstracted from daily life of an average person they can't see a recession except as the economy is imploding.

        13 votes
        1. [3]
          bioemerl
          Link Parent
          I think the point here is that predictions of a recession always exist and never end and are never right until there is a recession. Then people point to the people making the prediction right...

          I think the point here is that predictions of a recession always exist and never end and are never right until there is a recession. Then people point to the people making the prediction right before the recession and say "look! They were right"

          16 votes
          1. [2]
            Eji1700
            Link Parent
            I’ve been seeing this a lot and it completely ignores why people are making predictions. Until a few months ago the fed was still dancing around the word. When 08 happened many people correctly...

            I’ve been seeing this a lot and it completely ignores why people are making predictions. Until a few months ago the fed was still dancing around the word.

            When 08 happened many people correctly identified we were heading for one because of our terrible loans backing the housing market. It still took years for it to collapse because actually saying when is extremely difficult due to too many factors being relevant.

            We’ve had bank collapses caused, somewhat, by the fed raising rates, which has almost always led to recession. There doing that to fight massive inflation and we’re still in the echoes of a post covid world which the modern economy has never seen.

            9 votes
            1. bioemerl
              Link Parent
              Basically this. Nobody knows what's actually going to happen.

              There doing that to fight massive inflation and we’re still in the echoes of a post covid world which the modern economy has never seen.

              Basically this. Nobody knows what's actually going to happen.

              2 votes
    2. [4]
      vord
      Link Parent
      This is a regular reminder of The Anatomy of a Bubble. We're in Bull Trap/Return to Normal now.

      This is a regular reminder of The Anatomy of a Bubble.

      We're in Bull Trap/Return to Normal now.

      5 votes
      1. [3]
        Kitahara_Kazusa
        Link Parent
        It's been nearly a year of fairly steady growth since mid-2022 when the economy was in the most trouble. Maybe there's a recession coming but generally bull traps aren't supposed to last this...

        It's been nearly a year of fairly steady growth since mid-2022 when the economy was in the most trouble. Maybe there's a recession coming but generally bull traps aren't supposed to last this long.

        But I guess if you just stick with it and keep predicting recessions sooner or later you'll be right

        10 votes
        1. [2]
          supergauntlet
          Link Parent
          no previous bull trap has had the level of disinfo and bullshit coming from all directions. Don't get me wrong, I think timing the market is a fool's errand, but I can look at inflation adjusted...

          generally bull traps aren't supposed to last this long.

          no previous bull trap has had the level of disinfo and bullshit coming from all directions. Don't get me wrong, I think timing the market is a fool's errand, but I can look at inflation adjusted 50th percentile income and see that it is lower than a year ago and that is not a positive market fundamental!

          2 votes
          1. Kitahara_Kazusa
            Link Parent
            Average inflation adjusted income is down half a percent from last year, that's not a great sign, but nobody has said the economy is great (overall growth is slightly less than inflation) but half...

            Average inflation adjusted income is down half a percent from last year, that's not a great sign, but nobody has said the economy is great (overall growth is slightly less than inflation) but half a percentage point is an incredibly small change that doesn't really mean anything.

            4 votes
    3. [3]
      cloud_loud
      Link Parent
      Isn’t part of that like a self fulfilling prophecy. Where people think we’re heading towards one, stop buying stuff, and then we end up in one. I remember learning about something like that in my...

      the average person thinks we’re heading towards one, we tend to end up in one

      Isn’t part of that like a self fulfilling prophecy. Where people think we’re heading towards one, stop buying stuff, and then we end up in one.

      I remember learning about something like that in my Econ classes.

      2 votes
      1. vord
        Link Parent
        More like "I've had to stop buying stuff because I'm having trouble making ends meet, looks like things are gonna blow up again." You can call it self fulfilling if you want....but I suspect the...

        More like "I've had to stop buying stuff because I'm having trouble making ends meet, looks like things are gonna blow up again."

        You can call it self fulfilling if you want....but I suspect the belt tightening happens well before the predictions come out.

        That this growth is predicated on all-time credit card debt is a sign that its a false growth. Expect a lot of bankruptcy and defaulted credit card debt within the next 3 years.

        13 votes
      2. lmnanopy
        Link Parent
        I suspect some of it is perception of having no job security, lack of affordable housing, media reports of job losses, corporate insolvency, beginning of the age of AI, unions striking, etc. It...

        I suspect some of it is perception of having no job security, lack of affordable housing, media reports of job losses, corporate insolvency, beginning of the age of AI, unions striking, etc.

        It could be self-fulfilling, but if we’re seeing country-wide trends with measurable and appreciable impact, maybe it is a sign of a broader problem and not individual perception.

        If people lose trust in economic viability or sustainable employment, their budgets, spending, or debts will be impacted.

        3 votes
    4. [2]
      JCPhoenix
      Link Parent
      The economy works in cycles. Of course there will be a recession at some point. That's how it works. During a recession, we can also say there will be eventually expansion and growth, yet I rarely...

      The economy works in cycles. Of course there will be a recession at some point. That's how it works. During a recession, we can also say there will be eventually expansion and growth, yet I rarely hear people be that optimistic during a recession.

      1 vote
      1. vord
        Link Parent
        Hard to be optimistic when you're having trouble making ends meet and what little retirement savings you had has been wiped out.

        Hard to be optimistic when you're having trouble making ends meet and what little retirement savings you had has been wiped out.

        9 votes
    5. [2]
      takeda
      Link Parent
      The problem with those predictions is that people were saying this since Biden took office, this is 3rd year now. I'm not saying we are safe from one, but if those people are constantly saying...

      The problem with those predictions is that people were saying this since Biden took office, this is 3rd year now.

      I'm not saying we are safe from one, but if those people are constantly saying there is a recession for many years, then they are hardly any indicator of anything.

      1 vote
      1. an_angry_tiger
        Link Parent
        There's the old joke, economists have predicted 9 out of the last 5 recessions.

        There's the old joke, economists have predicted 9 out of the last 5 recessions.

        1 vote
  2. [4]
    Comment deleted by author
    Link
    1. [2]
      Minori
      Link Parent
      The net effect of student loan repayment should be reducing inflationary pressures. College educated consumers having a couple hundred dollars less each month is a pretty blunt way to reduce...

      The net effect of student loan repayment should be reducing inflationary pressures. College educated consumers having a couple hundred dollars less each month is a pretty blunt way to reduce demand-pull inflation. For the poorest borrowers, Biden's new repayment plan should keep their monthly payments close to zero, so student loan repayment won't be as regressive as some pundits have predicted.

      6 votes
      1. stu2b50
        Link Parent
        Yeah, in some ways the SC striking down the loan forgivenesss was a major boon to the Biden administration. Student loan repayment is both deflationary and disproportionately affects higher income...

        Yeah, in some ways the SC striking down the loan forgivenesss was a major boon to the Biden administration. Student loan repayment is both deflationary and disproportionately affects higher income brackets, both things that the administration would want economically.

        All that and they still get to tell the leftward, college educated part of their base that they tried. It was the republicans fault - and it was, to be clear.

        4 votes
    2. redwall_hp
      Link Parent
      Yep. Losing disposable income (or income that has already been eaten by rising rent and food prices) will create nasty pressure on non-essentials, causing less circulation of money, reducing...

      Yep. Losing disposable income (or income that has already been eaten by rising rent and food prices) will create nasty pressure on non-essentials, causing less circulation of money, reducing business and ultimately causing losses in employment. It's a good way to kick the economy in the knees.

      I expect we'll see a noticeable market downturn. Conveniently, the next fiscal quarter starts in October.

      4 votes