US Economic Data Is Raising Recession Concerns

Recent US labor data came in weaker than expected. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% (above the 4.3% forecast), while non-farm payrolls fell by 92,000 jobs instead of the expected 59,000 gain, signaling a softening labor market.

At the same time, Q4 GDP growth has slowed to a one-year low, showing broader economic weakness.

Although inflation had been cooling toward 2.4%, oil prices hitting a two-year high could push inflation higher again while slowing consumer spending.

This combination of slowing growth and rising inflation risks “stagflation,” a challenging environment for markets ($BTC

& the crypto market) and investors.