Trade War Apocalypse: Is 2025 Doom Just Around the Corner? 🤯

Everyone’s whispering about a US recession in 2025 like it’s the latest episode of a soap opera. Spoiler alert: It’s all because of that never-ending trade war between the US and China. Yes, the saga continues, and economists are waving warning flags so hard they almost dislocated a shoulder.

Why 2025 Might Be the Economy’s Version of a Zombie Apocalypse

Since Trump’s encore performance in office, the US economy was chilling, cruising like a self-driving Tesla. Until — wham! Enter stage left: tariffs with dramatic flair. Torsten Slok, an economist who sounds way smarter than me at Apollo Global Management, said that if these tariffs stuck around at the spicy 145% level, we’re looking at a GDP nosedive of 4%. Translation: two quarters of economic bad vibes.

According to Polymarket, which apparently bets on the economy like it’s Vegas, there’s now a 56% chance of recession—basically, the odds that your favorite coffee shop might start charging extra for almond milk or worse, go belly up.

The Federal Reserve hasn’t pulled out the magic wand (or the interest rate cut), so the US might just be sailing right into an economic thunderstorm — umbrellas optional but recommended.

The Spillover Effect: Businesses, Jobs, and Diets of Instant Ramen

This isn’t just doom-talk; retailers like Walmart and Target are already hoarding stuff like it’s Black Friday every day. Why? Because tariffs have made importing goods harder than assembling IKEA furniture without the tiny allen wrench.

Cargo shipments have tanked by 60%, which means less stuff on shelves and potentially more pink slips floating around. So yes, it’s a real-life game of ā€œHow Do You Spell Unemployment?ā€

Small Businesses: The Underdogs in This Price War Cage Match

It’s not just the retail giants feeling the squeeze—small manufacturers are paying the price too. Tariff hikes are like adding salt to a wound; many are already on the precarious edge of bankruptcy and could be joining the closure parade soon.

Is There a Recession Reset Button?

The economic crystal ball is still foggy on whether 2025 will bring a full-blown recession. But here’s the takeaway: this trade war is the uninvited guest at our economic dinner party, and it’s definitely causing a scene. Keep an eye on those tariffs or grab some popcorn for the show.

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2025-04-28 17:02