Economists are decidedly more upbeat about the US outlook than they were six months ago, seeing activity nearly on par with 2023 as strong job gains fuel consumer spending and growth without derailing the progress on inflation. Growth is projected to average 2.2% this year, more than twice as fast as anticipated in September, according to the latest Bloomberg monthly survey of economists. Odds of a recession in the next 12 months dropped to 35%, the lowest since July 2022 and down from 55% in September. Respondents expected employers would add an average 150,000 jobs per month in 2024 — more than four times what they ... (full story)