WASHINGTON: Is the second half of 2026 when the U.S. consumer finally cracks and leaves the economy gasping for breath, or will rising inflation and strong investment and hiring force the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates to tame surging growth similar to what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Pick a view and there is a highly trained economist helping advise billions of dollars in capital who shares it, particularly now when the outlook is muddied by volatile geopolitics, U.S. growth that seems narrowly based but continues beating expectations, and financial markets that may reflect an economy on the cusp of a profound transformation or yet another bubble.
