1. Home
  2. >
  3. Economy 🏛️
Posted

Former Goldman Strategist Sees Rising Risk of U.S. Recession Amid Election Uncertainty

  • Abby Joseph Cohen, former Goldman Sachs strategist, says U.S. recession chances have been rising in recent months.

  • Economic tailwinds like stimulus and strong labor market have weakened compared to 18 months ago.

  • Forecasting the economy will be difficult over next 12-18 months due to election year politics.

  • Government shutdown possible if Congress doesn't pass budget deal by Sept 30, with uncertain market impacts.

  • U.S. stocks ended higher Friday but major indexes logged weekly declines amid recession worries.

marketwatch.com
Relevant topic timeline:
Despite recent positive economic indicators, experts warn that a recession may still be on the horizon due to the lagged effects of interest rate hikes, increased debt, and a slowing manufacturing sector, cautioning investors not to become complacent.
Despite the optimism from some economists and Wall Street experts, economist Oren Klachkin believes that elevated interest rates, restrictive Federal Reserve policy, and tight lending standards will lead to a mild recession in late 2023 due to decreased consumer spending and slow hiring, although he acknowledges that the definition of a recession may not be met due to some industries thriving while others struggle.
A global recession is looming due to rising interest rates and the cost of living crisis, leading economists to warn of a severe downturn in the post-Covid rebound.
Stocks are overvalued and a recession is expected in the first half of next year, according to economist Steve Hanke. He predicts that inflation will cool, Treasury yields will fall, and house prices will remain stable.
Central banks are likely to push western economies into a recession in order to tackle inflation, according to a member of Jeremy Hunt's advisory council. Karen Ward, an economist at JP Morgan Asset Management, believes signs of weakness will be needed before policymakers can ease their tough approach, as the message from a recent gathering of central bankers in Wyoming was that borrowing costs would need to be higher for longer than expected. Ward's comments come as Germany reports its highest wage growth figure since 2008.
Fidelity International's Salman Ahmed maintains his prediction of a recession next year, citing the full impact of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy tightening and a wave of corporate debt refinancing as leading factors.
The unemployment rate model predicts that if the unemployment rate reaches 4% or higher in September 2023, a recession will be signaled with a 73% probability for October.
Top economist David Rosenberg predicts that the US will experience a recession within the next six months due to the aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve and the erosion of credit quality in credit card debt.
Goldman Sachs has lowered its probability of a U.S recession in the next 12 months to 15% due to positive inflation and labor market data, while also predicting a reacceleration in real disposable income and expecting the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged.
Despite weak economic news and concern over a slowing economy, there is still optimism among investors that a recession is unlikely.
Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius has revised his forecast for a U.S. recession in 2023, lowering the probability from 35% to 15% due to positive inflation and labor market news, while still expecting a mild economic slowdown.
Despite recent optimism around the U.S. economy, Deutsche Bank analysts believe that a recession is more likely than a "soft landing" as the Federal Reserve tightens monetary conditions to curb inflation.
Despite positive economic growth and low unemployment rates, several major indicators suggest that the American economy under President Joe Biden is heading towards a recession, with high government deficit numbers indicating possible overspending to prevent a recession before the 2024 election.
The odds of a recession in the US have collapsed, making markets vulnerable to any signs of the economy overheating and contributing to inflationary pressures.
The US economy is facing a looming recession, with weakness in certain sectors, but investors should not expect a significant number of interest-rate cuts next year, according to Liz Ann Sonders, the chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. She points out that leading indicators have severely deteriorated, indicating trouble ahead, and predicts a full-blown recession as the most likely outcome. Despite this, the stock market has been defying rate increases and performing well.
The odds of the U.S. entering a recession by mid-2024 have decreased, but certain regions, such as the West and South, are still more vulnerable due to rapid economic growth, high home prices, and inflation, according to Moody's Analytics. However, a severe downturn is unlikely, and the Midwest and Northeast are less susceptible to a pullback. Overall, the chance of a recession has declined nationwide, but there is still a risk for some metro areas, such as Austin, Boise, Ogden, and Tampa.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon believes the U.S. economy is unlikely to experience a significant recession, but warns that inflation will be more persistent than anticipated.
The risk of a global recession in the next 12 to 18 months is high, with financial markets underestimating the chances of a recession in the United States, according to PIMCO executives.
Entrepreneur Jaspreet Singh warns that signs of a potential recession in America include labor shortages, inflation-driven spending, and high interest rates, with economists predicting that the country may start feeling the effects of a recession by the second quarter of 2024. Singh advises Americans to educate themselves about saving money and investing to prepare for the possible downturn.
Market analyst Ed Yardeni has increased the chances of a recession by the end of next year from 15% to 25%, citing rising oil prices and widening deficits as contributing factors, although he notes that a repeat of the 1970s is unlikely due to the expected productivity boom.
The Federal Reserve has paused raising interest rates and projects that the US will not experience a recession until at least 2027, citing improvement in the economy and a "very smooth landing," though there are still potential risks such as surging oil prices, an auto worker strike, and the threat of a government shutdown.
The forecasted U.S. recession in 2024 is expected to be shorter and less severe than previous recessions, with the economy's interest-rate sensitivity much lower due to reduced leverage and elevated savings from the postpandemic environment, leading investors to consider positioning for investment opportunities that will drive markets into 2024.
The US economy has triggered the fourth and final signal for a potential recession, and historical data suggests that recessions will become more frequent in the future due to government interventions and other factors such as inflation, tightening monetary policy, oil price spikes, and tight government budgets.
There are four risks that could potentially push the US economy into a recession sooner rather than later, including a weakening labor market, headwinds for the consumer, high borrowing rates, and the rising chances of a government shutdown, according to Raymond James.
The risks of a near-term recession are increasing due to potential government shutdown and strikes in the auto industry, which are weighing on consumer confidence, according to J.P. Morgan Asset Management Global Market Strategist Jack Manley.
A recession is highly likely in the US and investors should prepare for it by adopting a defensive strategy, according to the CEO of the TCW Group, Katie Koch, who believes that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes will start to have an impact and expects consumers and companies to struggle in this environment.
Deutsche Bank's economists are still predicting a US recession despite the ongoing resilience of the economy, pointing to rapidly rising interest rates, surging inflation, an inverted yield curve, and oil price shocks as the four key triggers that historically have caused recessions and are currently happening.
Fidelity Investments' global macro director believes that a recession could lead to a significant rally for Bitcoin, with the potential for prices to reach $96,210 by the end of 2025 if interest rates decline. He also suggests that Bitcoin's correlation with equities has decreased, making it a potential source of uncorrelated returns in the next market cycle.
Investors and experts differ on the timing, but many believe a recession is inevitable in the near future due to falling consumer confidence and a slowing economy, prompting discussions about the Federal Reserve's interest rate moves.
Falling bond prices in the US, resulting in higher Treasury yields, suggest that a recession might be approaching, according to investor Jeff Gundlach, who is closely watching the upcoming jobs report for further signs.
Falling U.S. bond prices and the rapid normalization of the Treasury yield curve are signaling that a recession may be imminent, according to DoubleLine Capital founder Jeff Gundlach, who will be closely monitoring the September jobs report for further clues.
Global strategist, Albert Edwards, warns that the current equity market reminds him of the 1987 crash and predicts an imminent recession due to factors such as plunging trucking jobs, low GDI growth, and decline in GDP growth.
The likelihood of the US avoiding a recession has decreased, as two factors, including a surge in interest rates and the potential for resurgent inflation, could push the economy into a downturn, says economist Mohamed El-Erian.