# Economics Analysis

> Analyze US economic indicators and their impact on markets

- Skill: `serennity007/economics-analysis` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add serennity007/economics-analysis`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/serennity007/economics-analysis/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: Serennity007 (https://skillmd.com/u/serennity007)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/serennity007/economics-analysis

---


# US Economics Analysis

## ⚠️ Data Verification — Do This Before Any Analysis

Before running any analysis, always retrieve the latest market data for the ticker:

1. **Fetch current price** — use web search or ask the user for the live price, 52-week range, and market cap. Never assume a price from training data.
2. **Confirm key figures** — recent earnings, revenue, key ratios (P/E, P/S, etc.) as applicable to this skill.
3. **State your data source** — note where the numbers came from (e.g., "Google Finance, June 19 2026") at the top of the output.
4. **Flag stale data explicitly** — if live data is unavailable, display this warning before proceeding:

> ⚠️ **Live data unavailable.** The following analysis uses training-data estimates which may be significantly out of date. Verify all prices and metrics before making any decisions.

Never silently substitute training-data estimates for current prices. When in doubt, ask the user to paste the latest quote.

---

Analyze US economic conditions and their implications for investment decisions.

## Key Economic Indicators

1. **Growth Indicators**
   - GDP growth rate and components
   - Employment data (NFP, unemployment rate, jobless claims)
   - Consumer spending and retail sales
   - Manufacturing and services PMI

2. **Inflation Metrics**
   - CPI (Consumer Price Index)
   - PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures)
   - PPI (Producer Price Index)
   - Wage growth trends

3. **Monetary Policy**
   - Federal Reserve policy stance
   - Interest rates (Fed Funds rate, Treasury yields)
   - Money supply and bank lending
   - Fed meeting minutes and forward guidance

4. **Market Sentiment**
   - Consumer confidence indices
   - Business sentiment surveys
   - Credit spreads and risk indicators
   - Market volatility (VIX)

5. **Fiscal Policy**
   - Government spending and stimulus programs
   - Tax policy changes
   - Budget deficit and debt levels

## Analysis Framework

- Identify current economic cycle phase
- Assess policy implications for different sectors
- Evaluate recession/expansion risks
- Determine impact on equity, bond, and commodity markets
- Provide sector rotation recommendations

---

## Yield Curve Analysis

### Key Spreads to Monitor

| Spread  | Definition                          | Current | 1-Year Avg | 10-Year Avg | Signal |
|---------|-------------------------------------|---------|------------|-------------|--------|
| 2s10s   | 10yr Treasury minus 2yr Treasury    |         |            |             |        |
| 3M10Y   | 10yr Treasury minus 3-Month T-Bill  |         |            |             |        |
| 5s30s   | 30yr Treasury minus 5yr Treasury    |         |            |             |        |

**3M10Y is the historically strongest recession predictor** (NY Fed model is based on this spread).

### Yield Curve Shapes

| Shape           | Description                                     | Economic Implication                                  |
|-----------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Normal (Steep)  | Long-term rates well above short-term rates     | Healthy growth expectations, bank margins expanding   |
| Flat            | Short and long-term rates near parity           | Late-cycle signal, growth slowing, Fed near peak      |
| Inverted        | Short-term rates above long-term rates          | Recession warning — markets pricing in rate cuts ahead|
| Bear Steepening | Both ends rise, long end rises faster           | Inflation concern, term premium expanding             |
| Bull Steepening | Both ends fall, short end falls faster          | Cutting cycle underway, growth relief expected        |

### Inversion Duration and Recession Lead Time

Historical precedent for 3M10Y inversion:

| Inversion Duration | Historical Recession Lead Time |
|--------------------|-------------------------------|
| < 3 months         | Unreliable signal             |
| 3–6 months         | 12–18 months typically        |
| 6–12 months        | 6–15 months typically         |
| > 12 months        | High confidence; within 12 months |

**Rule of thumb**: Yield curve uninversion (re-steepening after inversion) is often the more immediate warning — recession tends to arrive shortly after the curve re-steepens from inversion.

### Fed Rate Cycle Positioning

- **Hiking Cycle**: Fed raising rates — short end rises faster, curve flattens/inverts. Growth stocks under pressure.
- **Pause**: Fed on hold — curve stabilizes. Markets watch for pivot signals.
- **Cutting Cycle**: Fed reducing rates — short end falls faster, curve steepens. Risk-on environment, cyclicals and growth stocks benefit.

### Real Yields (TIPS) Analysis

- **Real Yield** = Nominal Treasury Yield − Breakeven Inflation Rate (derived from TIPS)
- **Rising real yields**: Tighten financial conditions. Negative for long-duration assets (growth stocks, gold, long bonds).
- **Falling real yields**: Easier financial conditions. Positive for growth stocks, gold, emerging markets, long bonds.
- **10-Year Real Yield thresholds**: Below 0% is historically accommodative; above 2% is meaningfully restrictive.
- **Breakeven inflation** (5-year, 5-year forward): Market's long-run inflation expectation. Persistently above 2.5% signals inflation concern.

---

## Credit Market Indicators

### Investment Grade (IG) Credit Spreads (OAS — Option-Adjusted Spread)

| Spread Level   | Condition  | Interpretation                                     |
|----------------|------------|----------------------------------------------------|
| < 100 bps      | Normal     | Risk appetite healthy, credit markets functioning  |
| 100–150 bps    | Caution    | Stress emerging, watch for tightening conditions   |
| > 150 bps      | Stress     | Credit markets seizing, risk-off, watch equities   |

### High Yield (HY) Credit Spreads

| Spread Level   | Condition  | Interpretation                                             |
|----------------|------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
| < 350 bps      | Normal     | Benign default environment, strong risk appetite           |
| 350–500 bps    | Caution    | Elevated risk aversion, avoid lower-quality credits        |
| > 500 bps      | Distress   | Recession/financial stress scenario, significant HY risk   |
| > 800 bps      | Crisis     | Systemic credit event risk, similar to 2008/2020 episodes  |

**Rule**: HY spreads lead equity markets by 2–4 weeks on average. Widening HY spreads while equities hold = warning signal.

### TED Spread

- **Definition**: 3-Month LIBOR (now SOFR) minus 3-Month T-Bill yield
- Measures interbank lending stress and counterparty risk appetite in the banking system
- **Normal**: < 50 bps
- **Elevated stress**: 50–100 bps
- **Crisis signal**: > 100 bps (peaked at ~450 bps during 2008 GFC)

### MOVE Index (Bond Market Volatility)

- Bond market equivalent of VIX — measures implied volatility in US Treasury options
- **Normal**: 80–100
- **Elevated**: 100–130 (policy uncertainty, high rate volatility)
- **Crisis**: > 150 (1994, 2008, 2020, 2023 banking crisis)
- High MOVE compresses equity valuations by increasing discount rates unpredictably.

### Credit as a Leading Indicator

- **IG/HY spread widening** before equity weakness is a leading warning (credit sees risk first)
- **Spread compression** while equities lag = catch-up potential, constructive signal
- **IG vs. HY divergence**: If HY widens but IG holds, idiosyncratic credit stress — watch lower-quality equities
- **Leveraged loan market**: CLO issuance and leveraged loan spreads reflect private credit conditions

---

## Global Macro Comparison

### Economic Cycle Positioning (US vs. EU vs. China)

| Economy        | Current Phase         | GDP Growth | Inflation | Policy Stance | Equity Implication          |
|----------------|-----------------------|------------|-----------|---------------|-----------------------------|
| United States  |                       |            |           |               |                             |
| Eurozone       |                       |            |           |               |                             |
| China          |                       |            |           |               |                             |
| Japan          |                       |            |           |               |                             |
| UK             |                       |            |           |               |                             |

Economic cycle phases: Early Expansion → Mid Expansion → Late Expansion → Contraction → Recovery

### PMI Comparison Across Major Economies

| Country/Region | PMI Index    | Last Reading | Trend       | Above/Below 50 |
|----------------|--------------|--------------|-------------|----------------|
| US             | ISM Mfg      |              |             |                |
| US             | ISM Services |              |             |                |
| Eurozone       | Markit Mfg   |              |             |                |
| Eurozone       | Markit Svcs  |              |             |                |
| China          | Caixin Mfg   |              |             |                |
| China          | Official PMI |              |             |                |

**Rule**: PMI above 50 = expansion; below 50 = contraction. Composite PMI below 48 for 2+ months is recessionary signal.

### Central Bank Divergence Analysis

| Central Bank | Current Rate | Last Move   | Next Expected Move | Cycle Phase |
|--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------------|-------------|
| Federal Reserve (Fed) |    |             |                   |             |
| European Central Bank (ECB) | |           |                   |             |
| Bank of Japan (BOJ) |       |             |                   |             |
| Bank of England (BOE) |     |             |                   |             |
| People's Bank of China (PBOC) | |         |                   |             |

**Divergence signals**:
- Fed tightening while ECB/BOJ easing → USD strengthens, EM currencies weaken
- Synchronized easing → Global risk-on, EM outperforms, commodities bid
- BOJ policy normalization → JPY strengthens, unwinds carry trades

### Dollar (DXY) Strength and Sector Impact

| DXY Direction | US Multinational Earnings | Commodities | Emerging Markets | Domestic US Small-Caps |
|---------------|--------------------------|-------------|-----------------|------------------------|
| Strengthening (rising DXY) | Headwind (FX translation) | Bearish | Bearish (USD-denominated debt stress) | Relative outperform |
| Weakening (falling DXY) | Tailwind | Bullish | Bullish | Relative underperform |

- **DXY above 105**: Meaningful headwind for S&P 500 multinationals (roughly 40% of S&P revenues are foreign)
- **DXY below 95**: Significant tailwind, boosts international earnings in USD terms

### Emerging Market Vulnerability Indicators

- **EM FX pressure**: Current account deficits + elevated external USD debt = vulnerable to dollar strength
- **EM Debt Stress Index**: Sovereign spread widening in EM bonds (EMBI+ spread)
- **Capital outflow risks**: Rate differential between US and EM narrows during Fed cutting cycles — can reverse
- **China contagion risk**: Property sector stress, credit impulse, and stimulus effectiveness
- **Commodity-exporting EMs**: Benefit from commodity supercycles; inversely, hurt by USD strength

---

## Recession Probability Scoring

### New York Fed Recession Model

Based on the 3M10Y yield curve spread, the NY Fed publishes a monthly recession probability for the next 12 months.

| Probability Range | Interpretation                                |
|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 0–10%             | Expansion — very low recession risk           |
| 10–25%            | Low risk — monitor indicators                 |
| 25–50%            | Elevated — caution warranted                  |
| 50–75%            | High risk — recession likely within 12 months |
| > 75%             | Near-certain — defensive positioning required |

**Current NY Fed reading**: ____%

### Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI)

The LEI composite combines 10 leading indicators across financial markets, labor, manufacturing, and consumer expectations.

- **Consecutive monthly declines (3+)**: Strong recession warning
- **Year-over-year decline > 4%**: Historically aligned with recessions
- **LEI component breakdown**: Manufacturing hours, building permits, consumer expectations, credit spread, yield curve, stock prices, initial jobless claims

**Current LEI trend**: Rising / Flat / Declining

### Sahm Rule

**Sahm Rule Indicator** = Current 3-month average unemployment rate minus the minimum of the 3-month average unemployment rate over the prior 12 months.

- **Threshold: ≥ 0.5 percentage points** = Real-time recession signal with high historical accuracy
- Triggered in every US recession since 1970
- Works in real-time without revision lag that affects other indicators

**Current Sahm Indicator reading**: ____

### Custom Composite Recession Probability

Scoring model combining: Yield curve signal + LEI trend + Sahm Rule + Credit spreads + PMI momentum

| Zone           | Score Range  | Interpretation                                        |
|----------------|--------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| Expansion      | 0–25%        | Risk-on appropriate; cyclicals, growth outperform     |
| Caution        | 25–50%       | Balanced positioning; reduce cyclical overweights     |
| High Risk      | 50–75%       | Defensive rotation; increase quality, reduce leverage |
| Near-Certain   | 75–100%      | Full defensive posture; cash, defensives, short vol   |

**Historical recession episodes and leading indicators:**

| Recession     | Yield Curve Inversion | LEI Decline | Sahm Trigger | S&P 500 Peak-to-Trough |
|---------------|-----------------------|-------------|--------------|------------------------|
| 2001 (Dot-com) | 2000                 | Yes         | Yes          | −49%                   |
| 2008 (GFC)     | 2006–2007            | Yes         | Yes          | −57%                   |
| 2020 (COVID)   | 2019                 | Yes         | Yes          | −34%                   |
| 2022–2023      | 2022–2023            | Yes         | No (so far)  | −25% (bear market)     |

---

## Output

Deliver concise economic assessment with:
- Current economic state summary
- Key risks and opportunities
- Sector and asset class implications
- Investment positioning recommendations

## Standard Signal Output

All analysis concludes with this standardized block:

```
## Thesis Invalidation

After delivering the analysis signal, specify what would reverse it:

**If signal is BULLISH — thesis breaks if:**
- Price closes below the MA200 / key support level identified in this analysis on above-average volume
- yield curve inverts >50bps AND leading indicators fall for 3 consecutive months
- Macro regime shift: Fed pivots hawkish unexpectedly, recession probability >60%

**If signal is BEARISH — thesis breaks if:**
- Price closes above key resistance / MA200 level with volume confirmation
- yield curve normalizes AND PMI recovers above 52 for 2+ months
- Fundamental improvement: surprise earnings beat >20% with guidance raise

**Re-run this analysis when:**
- [ ] Next earnings release
- [ ] Price moves ±15% from current level
- [ ] 60 days have elapsed
- [ ] Material news event (acquisition, leadership change, regulatory decision)

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║              INVESTMENT SIGNAL               ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Signal:      BULLISH / NEUTRAL / BEARISH     ║
║ Confidence:  HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW             ║
║ Horizon:     SHORT / MEDIUM / LONG-TERM      ║
║ Score:       X.X / 10                        ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ Action:      BUY / HOLD / SELL               ║
║ Conviction:  STRONG / MODERATE / WEAK        ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```

Score Guide: 8.0–10.0 Strongly Bullish | 6.0–7.9 Moderately Bullish | 4.0–5.9 Neutral | 2.0–3.9 Moderately Bearish | 0.0–1.9 Strongly Bearish
Confidence: HIGH (strong data, clear signals) | MEDIUM (mixed signals) | LOW (limited data, conflicting signals)
Horizon: SHORT-TERM (1 week–3 months) | MEDIUM-TERM (3 months–1 year) | LONG-TERM (1+ years)