business cycle contraction
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Recession
Recession - Wikipedia
October 5, 2025 - There is no official definition ... is defined as "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the market, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales."...
Congress.gov
congress.gov › crs-product › R47479
Common Causes of Economic Recession | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
The result can sometimes be a drop ... in recession. Financial crises. Dysfunction in financial markets, if widespread and deep enough, can result in greater economic problems. When financial markets do not function properly, this can lead to tightening credit conditions throughout the economy and decreased demand. Housing market crashes. Owner-occupied housing represents a significant share of household wealth in the United States...
Do interest rates go up or down in a recession?
The Federal Reserve’s rate actions are intended to tame whatever factors are influencing economic conditions. When inflation rises, the Fed raises the federal funds rate in order to slow consumer spending. When there is a recession, or even a threat of a recession, the Fed may lower interest rates in order to stimulate the economy. That’s because the federal funds rate impacts interest rates for things like mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. The lower the interest rate, the more appealing the product is for consumers.But interest rate cuts are not intended to bring about a recession. The
nerdwallet.com
nerdwallet.com › back to nerdwallet homepage › finance › are we in a recession?
Are We in a Recession? - NerdWallet
Do food prices go down in a recession?
Food prices are, inherently, volatile. They’re subject to consumer demand, supply-chain disruptions, geopolitical strife, tariffs on foreign imports, weather and disease. During a recession food prices tend to drop to entice consumers to make purchases.During the Great Recession, for example, the purchase of sale items rose dramatically, according to a 2015 analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research.Food prices are currently higher than they were before the coronavirus pandemic. Inflation has slowed since 2022 highs, but prices remain elevated for food overall. However, food prices f
nerdwallet.com
nerdwallet.com › back to nerdwallet homepage › finance › are we in a recession?
Are We in a Recession? - NerdWallet
Do home prices go down in a recession?
A number of factors go into the price of homes, but during a recession they generally go down. That’s largely because home prices are impacted by supply and demand — when demand is weaker, sellers often lower prices to entice home buyers. Demand is weaker for homes during a recession because people are less likely to want to make large purchases.However, home price slashing doesn’t always happen during a recession. During the 1990 recession home prices were stagnant and then declined slightly. In the 2001 recession, home prices increased. During the Great Recession, home prices dropped signifi
nerdwallet.com
nerdwallet.com › back to nerdwallet homepage › finance › are we in a recession?
Are We in a Recession? - NerdWallet
Videos
What is a recession? | What Is Explainers
03:52
What is a recession? Here’s an economics crash course - YouTube
31:06
What Happens in a Recession? - YouTube
19:49
This Is What Actually Happens After a Recession Starts - YouTube
13:45
How to Survive and Profit In a Recession (2025) - YouTube
22:11
Why Americans Feel So Broke as the Economy “Grows” - YouTube
Jhu
bipr.jhu.edu › BlogArticles › 22-US-Economy-is-Headed-for-Recession.cfm
US Economy is Headed for Recession
Companies will experience turbulence due to domestic and international economic instability, which will be further exacerbated as half of the large and mid-sized banks in the US begin implementing stricter requirements for commercial loans.
IMF
imf.org › external › pubs › ft › fandd › basics › recess.htm
Recession: When Bad Times Prevail - Back to Basics: Finance & Development
By Stijn Claessens and M. Ayhan Kose - It is a sustained period when economic output falls and unemployment rises
Fulton Bank
fultonbank.com › Education-Center › Trending › What-is-a-recession
What is a recession and what does it mean for me? | Fulton Bank
Economic expansions create opportunities: new businesses, more jobs, and higher wages. Recessions reduce opportunities: failed businesses, fewer jobs, and lower wages. Recessions normally don't happen every year, but they're not unusual.
Federal Reserve History
federalreservehistory.org › essays › great-recession-and-its-aftermath
The Great Recession and Its Aftermath | Federal Reserve History
The decline in overall economic activity was modest at first, but it steepened sharply in the fall of 2008 as stresses in financial markets reached their climax. From peak to trough, US gross domestic product fell by 4.3 percent, making this the deepest recession since World War II.
Congress.gov
congress.gov › crs-product › IF12774
Defining Recession | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
NBER defines recession as a "significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months," but it does not have a set numerical formula to determine a recession. Instead, NBER evaluates three criteria—depth, diffusion, and duration—using a variety of monthly economic indicators including income, employment, consumption, sales, and industrial production. An outsized impact to one criterion can make up for a weaker impact to another. For example, in July 2021, NBER declared the United States to have been in a recession from March to April 2020 owing to the extreme drop in economic activity, despite the brevity of the contraction.
Mercer University
den.mercer.edu › what-is-a-recession-and-is-the-u-s-in-one-mercer-economists-explain
What is a recession and is the U.S. in one? Mercer economists explain
August 16, 2022 - You have to increase my salary.’ And when that happens, then companies are likely to let people go,” Dr. Saravia said. “So, the labor market is strong for now, but when nominal wages adjust to be on par with inflation, then that’s when we’re going to start seeing unemployment, and that’s very, very typical in a recession.”
PBS NewsHour
pbs.org › newshour › economy › what-is-a-recession-heres-why-anxiety-is-rising-about-falling-into-one
What is a recession? Here’s why anxiety is rising about falling into one | PBS News
March 11, 2025 - On Tuesday, Trump boosted import taxes on steel and aluminum from Canada to 50 percent, from 25 percent, in response to Ontario’s imposition of duties on electricity it sends to the United States. For now, the economy appears to be stable. Stock prices often fluctuate and sharp, temporary drops typically don’t harm the economy. Most analysts still think the chances of a recession are fairly small.