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US economy shows resilience, despite Americans’ pessimism

Feb 16, 2026, 6:23am EST
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Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange.
Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Recent economic data offered a buoyant picture of the US economy, even if many Americans remain pessimistic.

Friday’s inflation report, which indicated that prices were 2.5% higher in January compared to the previous year, suggested it was plausible for inflation to get to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target without inducing a recession, an achievement many economists thought “impossible” a few years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported. Employment remains strong, too.

Yet worrying details hide beneath the surface: Job openings are falling, reflecting AI-related cost savings, while inflation is still high in some areas, including home electricity prices. “The economy looks solid. The markets look solid. Just don’t look too closely,” Axios said.

A chart showing the US inflation and interest rates.
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