Heading into 2023, the predictions were nearly unanimous: a recession was coming. As the year comes to a close, the forecasted economic downturn did not arrive. So what’s in store for 2024? An economic decline may still be in the forecast, experts say. The prediction is based on the same factors that prompted economists to call for a downturn in 2023. As inflation has run hot, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates. Typically, that dynamic has triggered a recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product growth. Some forecasts are optimistic that can still be avoided in 2024. ... (full story)