A tepid stock market, soaring inflation, and rising interest rates have left Americans less than optimistic about the state of the economy. Consumer sentiment has plunged to a record low, according to a University of Michigan survey released last week, fueled by frustration over high prices.
To be clear: we are not in a recession, at least not yet. But signs of an economic downturn are cropping up all over, in sectors from commodities to housing . Here’s what CNN Business reported last week:
Prices for the metal hit 16-month lows on Thursday after dropping more than 11% in two weeks — that’s bad news for investors who view copper prices as a bellwether for the global economy.
Copper is widely used in construction materials, and it faces increased demand in an expanding economy. That demand disappears when the economy contracts.
Prices shot up earlier this year when Russia, which accounts for 4% of global copper output, invaded…
