Mental Recession? Maybe. Economic Recession? No

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you suckers import every thing from the rest of the world. Wage unnecessary wars, kill millions of iraqis and dream to get away with one percent growth.The punishment for all your atrocities is long over due. The only way to punish you is stay away from your t bills for now allowing hyperinflation to set in in your country and then crash the dollar a year from now. Then you may avoid recession but deep economic depression will haunt your country.

chandru of AL 5:32AM August 20, 2008

Let's see. EVERYONE I know has been laid off.
I haven't had a job since I was laid off after 9/11
from Schwab and my programming job went to India.
If we're not in a recession how come EVERYWHERE
I go I see AVAILABLE and FOR LEASE on store fronts
that have NEVER been available before.
How come grocery stores are cutting the hours of their
employees. How come nobody's hiring.
This is just the beginning, it's going to get
much, much worse. There are NO JOBS - anywhere.
Blake

Blake Southwood of CA 12:10AM July 20, 2008

I for one appreciate the data points you're keeping alive in the public debate, which would otherwise die on paragraph 7 of a story on page C9.... I've become more cautiously optimistic than before, and one of the challenges is finding any mention of positive data points in the headline media. Keep it up.

Tim Kane of DC 1:48PM July 18, 2008

"If you keep repeating it enough, does it become true?"
Yes. If you keep repeating "Recession", it becomes true.

Moe of NY 7:13PM July 17, 2008

All I can say is wow.
I'm wondering if you really live in the same country as I do.
You definitely don't live in the same reality as I do.
1) Profit margins at nonfinancial companies remain healthy.
ahhem construction, high end retail, auto, aviation, etc
2) Trade remains strong.
Our dollar is buying us less and less every day. Cost of transportation is rising and will continue to for the foreseeable future.
3) Businesses will have to rebuild their inventories
I have no idea what this has to do with anything. I suspect nothing. Bunch of schizophrenic statistics about nothing that matters.

vividvew of NC 6:47PM July 17, 2008

I have to agree with Josh -- Bloomberg isn't exactly a left wing media outlet, and they are in the Recession camp:
It's All Over But the Dating for U.S. Recession: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aFR.kFWcXvEw&

Scott of VT 4:03PM July 17, 2008

"It should be noted that only twice in the last three decades—at the end of 2001 and 1982—did firms destock at the pace seen in 1H08..."
Umm... aren't 2001 and 1982 exactly when we last had recessions? Way to keep cherrypicking the good data and ignore the housing bust, energy prices, bear stock market, credit crunch, financial market freeze...

Josh of MO 1:43PM July 17, 2008