Economic growth was much slower than expected in the final three months of 2025 while core inflation rose to start 2026, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
Gross domestic product, a measure of all the goods and services produced across the sprawling U.S. economy, rose at a seasonally and inflation-adjusted annual rate of just 0.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the department's Bureau o...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights genuine economic headwinds: slowing growth, sticky inflation, and geopolitical shocks that could exacerbate stagflation risks. The data is presented with appropriate caveats—pre-dating recent crises—and acknowledges the Fed’s dilemma. However, the framing leans toward alarmism, emphasizing "gut checks" and "large headaches" without proportional counterweight. The inclusion of geopolitical events (tariffs, Iran strikes) as looming threats, while ...