The Chart of the Week tracks various data series that economists use to assess the health of the U.S. economy. These metrics span key aspects of economic activity, including consumption, employment, GDP, and business output. Despite widespread recession forecasts in 2022, the U.S. economy has consistently outperformed growth expectations and avoided a downturn. This serves as a strong reminder not to rely solely on a single indicator—such as the inverted yield curve—as a definitive signal of an impending recession. Individual data points can often be volatile or distorted. For a more accurate and reliable understanding, it’s crucial to examine the broader set of economic data in context.