More than 50 countries have reached out to the President to begin tariff negotiations

[putnam6]

https://x.com/CNBC/status/1552634324251541504

CNBC forecasted a .9% late in July drop signaling a recession... they were way off

Rapid Response 47 reposted

Jacki Kotkiewicz

@jackikotkiewicz
·
12m
Here are the takeaways from today’s Q2 GDP (2nd estimate) report:  

GDP revised UP to 3.3% 

Inflation revised DOWN to 2% (Fed’s target)

Consumer spending & business investment revised UP With OBBB now law,

America’s economy is set for even stronger growth ahead

https://x.com/CNBC/status/1552634324251541504

CNBC forecasted a .9% late in July drop singnaling a reccession... they were way off

[putnam6]

[Image: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/193...bigger.jpg]
Market Readout
@MarketReadout
·
13m

JUST IN! US Q2 GDP growth confirmed; Crude oil prices decline following a draw in US inventories. #GDP

#OilPrices 
The Coastal Journal

@1CoastalJournal
·
13m
 
Replying to
@byHeatherLong
Q2 GDP rose 3.3%, but it’s mostly price effects. Investment -1.9 pts, exports -0.14, gov’t -0.03. Consumer spending only +0.8. The real lift came from imports collapsing (+4.7 pts) — an accounting quirk, not real growth. With most components negative, this “gain” is just
 Chad Moutray

@chadmoutray
·
14m

"U.S. Economy Rebounds in Q2 Amid Trade Shifts and Spending Resilience" For the full
@WeRRestaurants
post on the latest GDP revision, see https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/restaurant-economic-insights/economic-indicators/gdp/….
 

[RichardHurt]

Don't be fooled. Job growth down, highest unemployment since covid, wages down. The market is not a indication of how well a country is doing. Those times are gone.

[Harte]

Don't be fooled. Job growth down, highest unemployment since covid, wages down. The market is not a indication of how well a country is doing. Those times are gone.

Don't be fooled.
Unemployment today is the same as it was last August. It remains within the usual definition of full employment.
Job growth slowed in 2023 and is still on the same trajectory it was then (same slope on the growth curve.)
Blue collar wages are outpacing inflation by almost 2%. Could be better, but we've seen WAY worse.

Harte

[xuenchen]

Don't be fooled. Job growth down, highest unemployment since covid, wages down. The market is not a indication of how well a country is doing. Those times are gone.

WHAT!!!!! 

[putnam6]

I keep waiting to get kicked in the nutsack...

Hell, if gasoline prices hold, we could save $4,000-$5,000 this year over 2024, if we travel the same approximate mileage, which we usually do. If we travel significantly more miles, which is possible given the early markets' success, the added expense will be covered and then some after all orders are shipped complete. 

First time we have seen this volume of traffic/business this early since before COVID...

 Our industry seems to always be the first to crash and the last to recover...

Still, this is encouraging as 12% more likely American voters believe
America is on the right track in 2025 vs September 14, 2024

 

 
Rasmussen Reports
@Rasmussen_Poll

Sep 14, 2024
Thirty-four percent (34%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction.
 
Rasmussen Reports
@Rasmussen_Poll

Aug 25, 2025
46% Say U.S. Heading in Right Direction Forty-six percent (46%) of Likely U.S. Voters think the country is heading in the right direction.

[RichardHurt]

Don't be fooled.
Unemployment today is the same as it was last August. It remains within the usual definition of full employment.
Job growth slowed in 2023 and is still on the same trajectory it was then (same slope on the growth curve.)
Blue collar wages are outpacing inflation by almost 2%. Could be better, but we've seen WAY worse.

Harte

So unemployment hasn't changed? So those that were unemployed can't find jobs. So where did all the job growth go we were promised? That just will not happen as much as some want to believe it will.
Blue collar wages is something I will not argue against. It's good.

[RichardHurt]

My biggest concern is the job growth. Wages may be higher is some areas and rightfully so. But those higher wages aren't creating new jobs. Those are a trickle down affect. Cool for those that get them. And great that they oversee more aspects of a job. But not good for the economy as a whole. The long term affects of states to pay for unemployment on the long term will only affect consumers including those with high wages.
So in my opinion we are not doing horrible by any means, but not great by any means.
Tourism is way down. Florida and Nevada are being hit hard because of this. That will very soon if not already have a major impact. Those in charge of jobs and what not will not continue to eat the cost.

[putnam6]

Blue-collar jobs and wages drive our economy in the southeast, well, atleast in my industry sector..

Our urban business rarely fluctuates, well, until COVID ... our rural areas, with farms carpet and furniture mills, if they boom, we usually have huge increases overall.

I'd rather have 10 people make an extra $50,000 than 1 person make $500,000 in the same zip code.

Those 10 people are much more likely to spend all of those funds($500,000) in the same zip code.

For perspective...

https://x.com/i/grok/share/xenmiwQk2Nlx4ztohf0FZQzSl
 

How important are blue-collar wages to the overall economy?

In short, blue-collar wages are a critical lever for economic health, affecting consumption, inequality, labor supply, and inflation. Their stagnation or growth ripples through the entire system, making them a key indicator to watch.

Blue-collar wages are a significant driver of the overall economy, as they directly impact a large segment of the workforce and influence key economic dynamics.

Workers in blue-collar jobs—typically in industries like manufacturing, construction, transportation, and maintenance—represent about 30% of the U.S. workforce (roughly 40 million people, based on recent labor data).

Their wages fuel consumer spending, which accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. GDP.

When blue-collar wages rise, they boost purchasing power for essentials like housing, food, and transportation, stimulating demand across multiple sectors.
Higher blue-collar wages also reduce income inequality, as these workers often earn less than white-collar professionals.
This can lead to more balanced economic growth, as lower- and middle-income households tend to spend a higher proportion of their income compared to wealthier ones.

For example, a 1% increase in wages for the bottom 50% of earners can have a multiplier effect, generating 1.5-2% in additional economic activity, according to some economic models.

On the flip side, stagnant or declining blue-collar wages can dampen economic growth by limiting consumer spending and increasing reliance on credit or public assistance. Since 1980, real wages for blue-collar workers have grown only about 10% adjusted for inflation, compared to over 30% for professional occupations, contributing to economic polarization. Low wages in these sectors can also exacerbate labor shortages, as seen in industries like construction, where a 2024 survey reported 85% of contractors struggling to fill skilled trade positions due to uncompetitive pay.

Blue-collar wages also influence inflation and monetary policy. Rapid wage growth in these sectors can signal labor market tightness, prompting central banks to adjust interest rates to curb inflationary pressures.

Conversely, suppressed wages can limit inflation but may weaken demand, creating a delicate balancing act for policymakers.

In short, blue-collar wages are a critical lever for economic health, affecting consumption, inequality, labor supply, and inflation. Their stagnation or growth ripples through the entire system, making them a key indicator to watch.

[RichardHurt]

The longer people are unemployed the more the tax payer will have to contribute. That number will only climb. All these investments being made into America by tech companies don't really generate a job growth. AI will handle the vast majority of that.
Let that sink in. The Tech companies are the ones driving the crypto and stock market. That is not a true reflection of the state of the economy. That is a reflection of how well off the tech and bobbleheads are.