The Trump Economy

Not so good

Layoff announcements ballooned in January, hitting the highest level for the month since 2009, according to a Thursday report from the global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.



The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased more than expected last week, likely boosted by snowstorms ​across much of the country, but labor market conditions remain stable.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits jumped 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted 231,000 for the week ended January 31, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

The number of people receiving unemployment benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, increased 25,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.844 million during the week ended January 24, the claims report showed.

Nice exchange (and half-truth answer)

Warren then asked, “Let me just ask about what’s happened in the one year that Donald Trump has been president. Last week, President Trump said, quote, we have the groceries going down. Did grocery prices drop in 2025?”

Bessent replied, “Numerous prices have.”

Warren repeated, “Did grocery prices drop in 2025?”

Bessent doubled down, “Numerous grocery prices have gone down.”

Warren repeated, “I’m sorry. I don’t know if you can’t hear me. Did grocery prices drop in 2025?”

Bessent replied, “Numerous grocery prices have gone down.”

Numerous...QUIZ: pick out the 'numerous' in the below


Jan. 18, 2025 – Jan. 10, 2026
Grocery product prices and trends

Chicken eggs/dozen
$3.99Change since a year ago:‑$1.51

Chicken breast/lb
$4.94Change since a year ago:+$.11

Fresh ground beef/lb
$6.64Change since a year ago:+$.89

Orange juice/32 oz
$4.71Change since a year ago:+$.94

Bacon/lb
$6.77Change since a year ago:+$.16

Bread/loaf
$3.13Change since a year ago:+$.15

https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphic...ion-rcna239569

Yowch!
Those who bought bitcoin at $130K or so will not be happy.

Today
$68,534
-$4,750
-6.48%

Down 25% in 1 year

Not so good a year for any cryptocurrency
https://www.foxbusiness.com/category/cryptocurrency Originally Posted by RX792P

Double ouch
Bitcoin down to $65K



And
Job openings dropped in December, widely missing economists' expectations and tumbling to the lowest level since 2020, according to government data released Thursday.

Trummp's actions continue to foster a K-Shaped Economy.
https://news.yahoo.com/news/finance/...152337003.html

A

ccording to BofA Global Research, tax refunds in 2026 are expected to be approximately $65 billion higher than in 2025—an 18% year-over-year increase. The bank estimates the total consumer stimulus from the OBBBA will range from $135 billion to $140 billion. However, the structure of these tax breaks, particularly changes to the state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, suggests that middle- and higher-income households will reap most of the benefits.

BofA’s analysis highlights a persistent “K-shaped” dynamic in the post-2025 economy, where the financial fortunes of the wealthy diverge sharply from those of lower-income Americans. In late 2025 and early 2026, spending by higher-income households rose by 2.4%, while lower-income households saw just 0.4% growth.

Yowch!
Those who bought bitcoin at $130K or so will not be happy.

Today
$68,534
-$4,750
-6.48%

Down 25% in 1 year

Not so good a year for any cryptocurrency
https://www.foxbusiness.com/category/cryptocurrency Originally Posted by RX792P

Chumpcoin ain't doing to hot either.

So much for these things hedging hard times.

Chumpcoin ain't doing to hot either.

So much for these things hedging hard times.

Originally Posted by Precious_b

Donald Trump Jr. has the right idea partnering up with Birch Gold Group doing commercials for them on Youtube and TV. Why would anyone put cash in a Bank CD or savings account in this environment? With the rate that gold is appreciating at the pace it is under Trump's 2nd Presidency the price of gold will be at $12,500 at the end of Trump's Presidency in 2028. It would be easier for gold to double from $5K to $10K than Bitcoin doubling and going to $130K from current price.

JM Bullion's Provident Metals sold out of copper with delays for restock of 1 oz. copper rounds slated for late April. Copper bars and coins wiped out! Apmex copper wiped out gone, SD Bullion copper wiped out with delays till late March for 99% of product, Copperhead Bullion wiped out. In addition with .999 copper becoming unobtainium, prices have more than doubled when the stock does become available with some prices more than 4X the old price (Provident). Perhaps the price floors that Vance was talking about at the Critical Minerals meeting just a few days ago. Does such represent bi-partisan failure or does Trump get all the blame?

"greatest economy in the history of our country"

Figure out this Trump 'logic' to reduce the cost of housing...

“I don’t want to drive housing prices down. I want to drive housing prices up for people that own their homes, and they can be assured that’s what’s going to happen.”

“You have a lot of people that have become wealthy in the last year because their house value has gone up. And you know, when you get the housing — when you make it too easy and too cheap to buy houses — those values come down.”

How many times does a lie have to be repeated to become the 'truth'?

In five speeches on the economy since December, Trump asserted that inflation had been beaten or was way down almost 20 times and said prices were falling almost 30 times, assertions at odds with economic data and voters' daily experiences.

Apparently more than 20/30...

“At what point are we in the Trump economy?” Llamas asked.

“I’d say we’re there now,” he replied. “I’m very proud of it.”



Using figures that are not backed up by the administration’s own data, Trump claimed that the gross domestic product has grown by 5.6% on his watch. According to the Labor Department, the economy grew at a strong annualized rate of 4.4% in the third quarter of 2025. It has not grown at more than 5% in any quarter since 2021,

Hoping against hope that Treasury Sec Scott Bessent is right...
Though there's so much evidence of a K shaped economy that doesn't agree with Bessent.

“What I can tell you is what we are seeing the cyclical components of the market expand so that’s why the Dow hit a new high. But importantly the Russell which is the small cap index has hit a new high. We’re seeing the industrial sectors under the market hit new highs. And in my 35 to 40 years on Wall Street, that tells me Wall Street is telling you that Main Street is about to prosper. We are seeing a big cyclical recovery. The president’s agenda set the table in 2025 and now the American people are going to benefit in 26. And that’s what the stock market is telling us. Stock market moves in the future. And I think we’re going to have very strong economic growth and very strong job gains and very strong real income growth.”

How many times does a lie have to be repeated to become the 'truth'?

In five speeches on the economy since December, Trump asserted that inflation had been beaten or was way down almost 20 times and said prices were falling almost 30 times, assertions at odds with economic data and voters' daily experiences.

Apparently more than 20/30... Originally Posted by RX792P

You may be taking Trumps words out of context. Trump isn't the average citizen. There is truth in Trump's words but it depends if you're measuring inflation thru fiat currency or in gold. When you price everything in gold everything is becoming cheaper, whereas everything priced in fiat dollars is becoming more expensive around the world. Trump probably saves in gold, not in fiat dollars if you can understand. So in that sense Trump is correct.

It seems that food inflation isn't rising as fast as it did under Biden, even one year into Trumps 2nd term. The prices for services within the economy seems to have stabilized. Higher inflation will show up in Trump's 2nd term but nobody knows when it will relect at the stores. Probably when oil spikes in price to $100 a barrel or higher. Maybe it won't because Maduro and Maduro's oil was captured.

How many times does a lie have to be repeated to become the 'truth'?

In five speeches on the economy since December, Trump asserted that inflation had been beaten or was way down almost 20 times and said prices were falling almost 30 times, assertions at odds with economic data and voters' daily experiences.

Apparently more than 20/30... Originally Posted by RX792P

Gold
Bid/Ask

5,062.80
5,064.80
Low/High

4,964.10
5,080.80
Change

+96.80
+1.95%
30daychg

+524.80
+11.57%
1yearchg

+2,184.80
+75.92%

The daily change for gold is up 1.95%, the 30 day chg is up 11.75%, and the 1 year chg is up 75.92%. Seems like Trump could be doing great. Even a Junior High School kid could tell that gold is spanking the fiat US Dollar and it's not even a competition at this point. Which begs the question is it better to save in physical gold or is it better to save in fiat US Dollars? How much have prices for goods and services measured in US fiat dollars went down in the Trump Economy if anyone thinks fiat dollars are gaining value? Maybe Trump has a higher financial IQ than his peers?

Kinda related to the Trump economy

One year after the Trump administration took control of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the consumer watchdog has largely retreated from enforcement and regulatory work, changes that consumer advocates and Democrats now estimate have cost Americans at least $19 billion in financial relief.

https://news.yahoo.com/news/articles...192858229.html