Advisors Magazine Issue 89

All things considered, the first quarter of 2019 has been pretty good. Consumer confidence indicators are at their highest levels in 18 years since dotcom crash, so it’s no surprise that people are buying instead of saving. Yet, many experts forecast that US economic growth is likely to slow and is vulnerable to a possible recession in 2020, but not as bad as what we experienced a decade ago in 2008. In fact, such experts agree that 2020 will bring the next recession, with some predicting growth will begin to fall as 2019 comes to a close. For now, the Feds aren't sure whether interest rates are inching up or down. The housing market has weakened; consumer spending grew steadily even as business investment was weak, and a potential trade war looms while the debt ceiling remains an issue. Internationally, China and the European economies are slowing down with Europe potentially on the verge of a recession, even before the possibility of a disruptive hard Brexit. Beginning on page 12, writer