Ep 521: The Economy Is Sending Mixed Signals: Here's What That Means for Your Wallet

Ep 521: The Economy Is Sending Mixed Signals: Here's What That Means for Your Wallet

From HerMoney with Jean Chatzky by Jean Chatzky Her Money

April 1, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 521

About this episode

Jean Chatzky discusses the mixed signals of the economy with economist Kathryn Edwards, covering key economic indicators and future projections.

Q1 2026 has been a lot. Tariffs. Oil above $100 a barrel. A war in the Middle East. Recession chatter. Stock market swings. And the creeping feeling that something has shifted in the economy… and not for the better. This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with economist and fan-favorite guest Kathryn Edwards for a full Q1 economic report card and a roadmap for what Q2 might bring. In this episode: The K-shaped economy explained Why the White House's 4% growth projection was never realistic, and how we got from boom talk to recession odds so fast How long oil prices need to stay elevated before the economic damage becomes truly lasting Why Kathryn is still an optimist, and why she believes Americans are resilient to change Links mentioned: Follow Kathryn on socials: @kedseconomist Subscribe to Optimist Economy wherever you get your podcasts Join InvestingFixx — your first two classes are free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Jean Chatzky

Guest: Kathryn Edwards

Topics covered

  • economy
  • recession
  • oil prices
  • economic report
  • K-shaped economy
  • stock market
  • resilience

Keywords

  • economy
  • recession
  • oil prices
  • K-shaped economy
  • stock market
  • economic report
  • growth projection
  • resilience
  • tariffs
  • Middle East

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: White House, Optimist Economy, InvestingFixx

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