The US economy has shown resilience in the face of adversity, with consumer spending continuing to increase at a steady pace. Despite this, inflation and rising interest rates have had a negative impact on the economy. However, the latest economic index decline was only 0.8%, which is not enough to signal an impending recession. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates to combat inflation, but this move is expected to slow down the economy in the long run.
Looking ahead, experts predict that elevated inflation and high interest rates will lead to contracting consumer spending due to depleting pandemic savings and mandatory student loan repayments. This could result in a very short recession for the US economy. Despite this, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 rose in Monday trading, indicating market optimism about the future of the US economy.