People arrive to shop at a newly opened Ross store on 600 East Valley Blvd. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Alhambra, Calif..
People arrive to shop at a newly opened Ross store on 600 East Valley Blvd. on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Alhambra, Calif. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times/TNS)
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Economists, analysts, and financial journalists have been wrestling with the paradox of the U.S. economy. We are living at a time of historically low confidence, high gas prices, soaring corporate earnings — and by extension, a rising stock market, and a labor market that seems to be holding up. So, is the economy good or bad? The answer is unequivocal: It depends.
