Prepare for Slower Growth and Greater Risks in 2019
2018 likely will be remembered for achieving solid economic growth, a highly volatile stock market, and an emerging trade war with China. In 2019 we can expect slower growth, continued volatility, and China to resist significant market-based reforms. These and other factors, combined with an environment of political uncertainty, could create greater risks.
The U.S. economy is estimated to have grown by 3 percent in 2018. This rate is based on various components, including strong retail and construction sectors, and a real estate market that has slowed due to a housing shortage, rising mortgage rates, and high home prices which have kept some buyers on the curb. And consumer spending, which represents 70 percent of U.S. output, is reflected in relatively strong, but slightly decreasing consumer confidence, says the Conference Board, a U.S. think tank.