The Real Economy: May 2025

The U.S. economy is likely headed for a recession

The growing risk of a recession in the U.S. economy is becoming harder to ignore with the probability rising to 55% over the next 12 months primarily due to the cumulative impact of recent economic shocks, writes RSM US Chief Economist Joe Brusuelas in the May issue of The Real Economy.

While there may still be time to mitigate the damage from the evolving tariff regime, it is too late to prevent the broader economy from slowing significantly. In addition, Brusuelas points to the declining value of the dollar and the fall in safe haven assets like U.S. Treasury notes. It's a result, he writes, of declining confidence in the American economy. 

Any further haphazard implementation of the current trade regime that results in a further tightening of financial conditions will cause a much deeper downturn in the U.S. economy.
Joe Brusuelas, Chief Economist, RSM US LLP

Also in this issue, RSM's Brian Winne and Adam Lohr analyze the initial public offering market in the biopharma industry, and why the expected revival has not taken place this year.

Finally, Brusuelas and RSM’s Tuan Nguyen decode the global economy in transition with the Market Minutes series. From declining real income expectations to rising yields to the declining dollar, Brusuelas and Nguyen capture the breadth of these economic changes, an industry at a time.

We look at these topics and more in this issue of The Real Economy.

Inside the May issue

Perspective
Is the U.S. economy headed for a recession? Our chief economist says it’s likely.
Simultaneous shocks to consumer sentiment, corporate confidence, trade and financial markets as well as to prices, new orders and the labor market will tip the economy into recession in the current quarter.
Perspective
Requiem for the dollar?
The United States’ attempt to rebalance the global economy to better serve its interests has resulted in the flight of capital out of the country.
Article
Biopharma IPO outlook: A shift amid uncertainty?
After several moribund years of initial public offerings in the life sciences industry, executives and investors had high hopes when the year started, as they expected a friendlier climate on interest rates, taxes and regulation.
Perspective
Market Minutes
Notes on a global economy in transition

RSM contributors

RSM US MMBI

Cybersecurity special report

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Special Report

The RSM Middle Market Sustainability Survey 2024: U.S. and Canada

Numerous regulations are making sustainability a larger compliance issue.

Tax incentives are one part of companies’ broader decarbonization efforts.

Training is the most common action taken toward compliance, but also the top hurdle.

Also from The Real Economy

Monthly economic analysis report for the US middle market
Perspective
Is the U.S. economy headed for a recession? Our chief economist says it’s likely.
Simultaneous shocks to consumer sentiment, corporate confidence, trade and financial markets as well as to prices, new orders and the labor market will tip the economy into recession in the current quarter.
Perspective
Requiem for the dollar?
The United States’ attempt to rebalance the global economy to better serve its interests has resulted in the flight of capital out of the country.
Perspective
Market Minutes
Notes on a global economy in transition
Perspective
The risk of an inventory correction is rising
Producers and wholesalers have prepared for higher tariffs by buying goods in advance, which is creating the conditions for a modest inventory correction should demand slow.
Perspective
Quantum of solace: Inflation cools ahead of tariff-induced price increases
Inflation cooled in February, but consumers aren’t buying it.
Perspective
U.S. tariffs and their impact on growth and inflation
A primary goal of the new administration is to narrow the United States’ trade and current account deficits, which have continued to grow.

The Real Economy Blog

The Real Economy Blog was developed to provide timely economic insights about the middle market economy. It is offered as a complement to RSM’s macroeconomic thought leadership, including The Real Economy monthly publication and the proprietary RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI).

The voice of the middle market

Middle market organizations, which make up the “real economy,” are too big to be small and too small to be big. They have distinct challenges and opportunities around resources, labor, technology, innovation, regulation and more.

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