Making Sense of a Complicated Economy

Some statistics indicate that the U.S. economy is thriving. Payroll employment rose by nearly 430,000 in March. Unemployment is at 3.6%. Consumer spending and business investment grew strongly in the first quarter of this year. But other statistics are concerning. GDP declined 1.4% in the first quarter of 2022. Inflation is at a 40 year high. Additionally, tighter fiscal and monetary policy, higher gasoline prices, and the broader economic impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could all weigh heavily on growth.

 

To understand the myriad factors affecting the outlook of the U.S. economy, EconoFact Chats welcomes back a panel of distinguished economic journalists — Binyamin Appelbaum of the New York Times, Scott Horsley of NPR, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal, and Heather Long of the Washington Post.