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The January 2026 report describes a bifurcated U.S. economy where robust gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 4.3% — fueled by artificial intelligence (AI) investment and consumer spending — contrasts with a cooling labor market that saw hiring stall to just 50,000 jobs in December. While housing affordability reached a 2025 high due to declining mortgage rates, consumers still face headwinds from "sticky" core inflation and flat real wage growth. Furthermore, rising supply chain pressures and a 10-month contraction in manufacturing suggest ongoing structural risks as the economy enters 2026.
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