The ‘K-shaped’ economy seems to be doing okay. Leap will have to postpone his great depression for another quarter, and the strength of the economy will continue to gobsmack Goofyhoofy.
Consumer spending expanded by 3.5% in the third quarter after rising 2.5% in the second quarter.
Increases in exports and government spending also boosted growth, while a smaller dip in private fixed investment helped as well.
DB2
It is a completely fictitious number.
How so? For the past month the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow had been projecting growth in the 3.5-4% range.
DB2
Bob,
Regardless of the Atlanta FED, we are expecting mass layoffs around the corner. The wheels are coming off the trolleys. The fake number you posted is not remotely near reality.
Yes, you are expecting mass layoffs – and have been for quite some time. Fortunately they didn’t happen last summer as you thought.
Eventually the economy will contract; nothing grows forever. At the same time, earnings growth for the S&P500 is projected in double digits.
DB2
It is! Although, I’d question whether K-shaped economies indicate overall strength / sustainability.
Can the wealthy continue to prop up the economy with their spending?
" The top 10 percent of U.S. earners spent $20.3 trillion through the first half of 2025 — nearly matching the $22.5 trillion shelled out by everyone else, according to the Royal Bank of Canada."
Will the low-income consumers start using credit to purchase pitchforks instead of staples?
“The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston says low-income consumers have “substantially” higher levels of credit card debt than they did before the pandemic.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/24/its-boom-times-for-trumps-economy-especially-if-youre-rich-00704816
https://archive.ph/IRkhR
I can’t remember a time when 4.3% GDP growth felt so good to so few, and so bad to so many.
At this point, most of the businesspeople I know expect layoffs after Christmas. You are not dealing with reality.
Adding with further searching it turns out 92% of the growth figure is coming from the AI build out. Meanwhile the rest of the economy is about to collaspse.