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Amid long economic expansion, why so many Americans are still struggling
The U.S. is currently in the midst of the longest economic expansion since the period following World War II. But even though the numbers are good, they don’t add up to prosperity for all Americans. William Brangham talks to Matthew…
Can the longest economic expansion in U.S. history last?
The nation’s gross domestic product has been growing for the last 121 consecutive months.
3 reasons why the U.S. economy may have already peaked for the year
The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.1 percent annual rate in the January-March quarter — a pace that will likely prove to be the high-water mark for the year before growth weakens in the coming months.
U.S. economy grew at solid 3.1 percent rate in first quarter
Much of the gain in the first quarter of 2019 was based on temporary factors that will likely fade, leaving growth much slower in the current quarter.
The government cited slower consumer spending as the biggest factor in the slowdown.
The shutdown's biggest effect on the economy is likely to be the cutback in federal spending. But consumer spending is another important factor.
The International Monetary Fund expects 3.5 percent global growth this year, down from 3.7 percent in 2018.
Growth slowed to 6.6 percent as both the world's appetite for China's exports and domestic consumer spending weakened.
Threats from volatile stock markets, trade tensions and uncertain global growth made the future path of interest rate hikes "less clear," Federal Reserve officials said during their December meeting.
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