Financial analysts say fears of a global recession have risen after a dramatic $2.9 trillion drop in stock market values.
The drop, reported on August 2, 2024, is the biggest since March 16, 2020, when the COVID pandemic sparked similar concerns.
Jacob King, a financial analyst, highlighted that major stock indices have suffered serious losses due to growing recession fears. This decline was triggered by disappointing U.S. employment data, which showed slower job growth and rising unemployment—the highest since October 2021. In addition, the weak performance of the U.S. manufacturing sector and weak earnings at semiconductor giant Intel worsened the situation.
On this turbulent day, the major world indices fell significantly. The S&P 500 index, tracking the 500 largest U.S. companies, faced its worst session in nearly two years. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2%, or 820 points. Prominent technology stocks were hit hard, with Amazon shares plunging 12.5% on missed earnings expectations and a dismal forecast. Intel shares fell 29%, and Nvidia also saw a significant decline on the day.
Deutsche Bank’s Jim Reed noted that the recent decline reflects rising risk sentiment in the market, exacerbated by weak U.S. economic data and disappointing technology earnings. This global market decline underscores widespread concern about a potential economic slowdown.
The U.S. economy may be closer to a downturn than many realize, according to Jay Bryson, chief economist at Wells Fargo.
Morgan Stanley has issued a cautionary outlook on the U.S. dollar, predicting a major decline over the coming year as Federal Reserve rate cuts take hold.
Legendary investor Ray Dalio has issued a stark warning about the trajectory of U.S. government finances, suggesting the country is drifting toward a series of severe economic shocks unless its debt spiral is urgently addressed.
Steve Eisman, the famed investor known for forecasting the 2008 housing collapse, is sounding the alarm—not on overvalued tech stocks or interest rates, but on the escalating risk of global trade disputes.