ααΎαααα·αααΆα’αα·ααααΆ α¬Stagflation α’αΆα ααΉαααΎαααΆαα‘αΎαααα α¬αα? αααααΆααα’αααααααα·αααααΆααααΆααααααΉαααΈαα»α αααα·αααΆα’αα·ααααΆααΊαααα αα ααΎααΆαααααααααααααααΆαααΆαααααααα·α αα α¬αα·ααααα·ααααααα·α αα αααααΆαα’ααααΆα’αα·ααααΆααααα αα·αα’ααααΆα’αααααααΆαααΆαααΆαααααΎαααααα αα αααα»αα’αααααααα ααΆααααα»αααΉαα αααααααααΌαααααααααα·ααα½αα ααα½ααα ααΎααααΆαααΆααα αα α»αααααα ααααααΆααααααΆαααΆααααα’αΆα ααΎαααΆαα‘αΎαααΆαααααΆααα»αα
α αααΆαα αααβααΆβαααα·αβααααβαααα»α αα·αβαααβααΆβααΆαβααααΆαβα’αααΈβααΆαβαα·αα·αααβααα
ααα’αααααααααααα αα·ααααα ααΆα
ααΎαααΆαααΉααα½α ααα αΎαααΆ α’ααααααααααααααΊααΆααΏαααααΌααααααααααααΆααΆαα·αααΈααααα’αα»αααααα»ααα α αΎααααα»αααααααα½ααααα αΌαααΌαααΆααααααΌαααα’αααααααααααααα·ααααα‘αααααααααααααααααα½ααααα·αα αααααααααααΆαααααΎααααααα’αΆα ααΉααααααΆαααα αααααΈααααΆαααΆαααΆα αααααα’αΆα ααα₯αααα·αααα ααΆααααααααααα ααΆαααααααα ααΆαα·ααααα ααααααααααααααΆααΆαα·αααΈ Trump ααΆαα αααα·αα·αααΉααααααΉαααΎααΆαααααΎααααΎααααααααααααα½αα ααα½αααΆαααΈααα»ααααΆααααααα»ααααα ααΎαααα’αΆα ααΉαααααααΆααΆααααΎααΆααα·αα·ααααααααααααααα α¬αα? α’αααΈαααααΎαα’αΆα ααΎαα‘αΎαααΆααααααΊ ααΆααααααΆααα

ααΆαααααααααΆαααΆα αα·ααααααΌαααΆα
ααΆαααααααααΆαααΆαααααααΆαααααααΈααααααααΆααααααΆα ααα»α α αΆααααααΎαααΈααΆααα·ααααααααααααααααααΆααΆαα·αααΈ Trump αα·αααα Elon Musk (ααΌα αααααΆααααα αΆααααα»αααΌαααΆαααΆαααΎ) αααααΊααΆαααΆαααααααα ααα½αααΆαααΆααααααα»ααααα·ααα ααααα α¬DOGEααΆααΎαα ααΆαααααααΊααααΎα‘αΎααααα»ααααααααααΆαααααααααΆαα αααΆαααα·ααΆα αααααΆαααΆαααΆααααα ααΎααα·αααΆααααΎαααΈαααααααΆααααααααααααΈα’αΆααΈααααααααα‘αΎαα αααααΆαααΆαα·ααΆααααααα·αα·ααΆαααΆα α’ααααΆααααΆαααΆαααΆαααααΎ (U6) ααΆαααΎαα‘αΎαααΈααααα·α 7.5% ααααα 8.0% ααααααα αΆαααΈααΆααααααααααα αααα»αααααΆαααΆαααΈααααΆαααΆαααΆαα
ααΎαααΈααα ααΆααααααααααααααααααααα’αΆαααααααααααααααΆαααα ααΈααα αα½αααααααΆαα½αααΉαααΆαααααΉααα»αααΎα’ααααΆα’αα·ααααΆααΆαααααααααααΆααα»α αα·ααααααΌαααΆαααΆαααααααΆαααααΊαααΆααααα αα α»αααααα ααΆααααααα»αααααααα₯αααα·αααααΆαα’αΆααααααα ααΆαααααα»αα αα»ααα½αααα αααααΊαα½αααα’αΆα ααΉαα ααΆαααααααα ααα½αααΆαααΆαααΎααααΈαααααΆαααΆαα αααΆα ααΆαααα‘αΎααααααααα·α α¬ααααΆαααα α¬ααΆαααααΎ Shrinkflation (a.1)α αααααΈααΆαααα»αα αα»ααα½αα αβαα½αα’αΆα ααΉαααααα½αααα ααααα αααααα·α(Shrinkflation) αααααα»αα αα»ααα αα αααα·ααααΆααΆαα αααΎαααΉαααα’αααα ααΎαααΆαααΆαα»ααααα·αα’αΆα ααααααΆαααααααα α αΎααααααααΆααααααΆ αα½ααααα·αα’αΆα ααααΎαα»αααααΆααααα Shrinkflation ααΆααααα ααΆαααααα αααααΆαααα ααΈαααααΉαααΆαααααααΆαααΆα ααΆαααααααααΆααα αααΌα ααΌα αααααα½αααα’αΆα ααΉαα αΆααααααΎαα αΆαααΆαααΆαααααα·α ααΆααα»α α¬ααααΆααααα’αΆαααααααΆααααααΊαα½αααα’αΆα ααΉααα·ααΆααααα»αααΆαααααααααααΎααΆαααααα βαααα αΆαααααα ααΆαααααααααΌαααΆαααααααΆααααΆααΆ βWealth Reverse Effectβ (a.3)α ααΌα ααααααΎαααααΌαααΆαα’αΆα ααααΈααΆαα·α? αααα ααααΆααααΈα’αααααΆαα
αααα αΆαααα½αααααααααΎααααα»αααΎααα αΌαααααααααααα ααΊαααααΆααααααααααααααα·α α’αααααΆαααΉαααΆααααααΆα α αΎαα’ααααααααΉαααΆαααααααα ααΆααααααα α ααα½αααΆαααΆααααααΆαααααααΆαα αααΎαα ααααααΈα αααΌαα’αααααααα αα α αααΌαααΆα ααΌα ααααβαα½αααααΉαααα½αααααΌααααααααΆαααα»αααα ααααααΆαααΆααααα αααα»αα’αα‘α»ααααααΌα ααΌααααΈααα’αααααΆαααααΉαααα½αααααΌαα₯αααα·ααα’αΆαααααααααααα
a.1α Shrinkflation ααΊααΆααΆααααααααααΎααΎααααΈαα·αααααΆα’αααΈαααααααα’αΆααΈαααααααΆαααααααααα αααα·αααααααααααααααααΆαααααα
a.2α Buy-in front ααΊααΆααΆααα·ααα»αααΆαα»αα
a.3α Wealth reverse effect = ααααααΆαα₯αααα·αααααααααααααααα·α
αααααααΆαααΆαα·ααααααα αα·αα’αα·ααααΆ
αααααααΆαααΆαα·αααααααααΆαααααΎα²ααααααΎαααααΆαααααΉααα»αα’αα·ααααΆααΆααααα αα α»ααααααααΆααααααΆαα αααΎαααΆααα»ααβ ααΆααααααα αααααααααα½αααΌαααααααααΆαααΆαα·ααααααααα»αααααα’αΆα αααα»αα²ααααΆαααααΎαααααΆαααααΉααα»αα’αα·ααααΆααΆααααα αααΎα α αΎαααα’αΆα ααΆαααααΌαα’ααααΆα’αα·ααααΆααααααααααα αααααΈααΆααα Trump ααααΎαααΎαααααααααααααα‘αΎαααααα¬α’αα ααααααααααΆααα αΎαααααα·αααΎαααα»αα αα»αααΆα αααΎαααΆααα·ααααα·αα αααΎααααα»ααα»α α¬Buy-in frontβ (a.2)α αααααΉαααααΎα±ααααα·αααααααΆα αααΎαααΎαα‘αΎα ααΎαααααΈααΆαααααΌαααΆαααΆααα·α αααααα αααβααΈβααΆβαααΆαβααΆβααβααα ααΆβααΉαβααααΎβα²ααβααα αΌαβααΆα αβααααΆαααααααα½αααααΆααααα αααΎαααΆααα»α αααααΉαααΆααα ααααΆαααααααααΆαααΆαααΆααααα αααΎααααααααααα Hyperinflation αα·αααααΌαααΆαααΆααΆαα ααα»ααααα αΆαα·ααααααα’αΆα ααΎαααΆαα‘αΎαααΆαα αααΎαααΆααα»αα
αααααααΆααααααααΆααΆααααααΆα
αααα·αααΆααα’αααααααΉαααΆααααααΆαααααα·ααααΆααααα½αααα»ααααα αααααΆααΆααααααΌααααααααααααααΆαααΌαα·αααααα» ααΎααααΈαααα»αααααΎαααααααα·α αα αα·αααΆαααααααα±αααΆααααα»αααααααααααααΆαα·α αααα½ααα½αααΆ ααΎα’ααααααααΎαααααααααΆαααΉαααααΎααααΎααααα αα·αααΆαααΆαααααααααΆαααα¬αα? α ααααΎααααααΊ α’αΆαααααααΎα’αααααααΎααααΆαααα ααΈαααα ααααα·αααΎααα Trump αα αααααααΆααααααΆααααΌααααααΆαααααααΆαααααα»αααΆαααΆαααααααα ααΎαααααααα·αααΆαααα ααΆαααααααααΈαα’αΆα ααΎαααΆαα‘αΎαααΊ αααααΌαααΆαα’αΆα ααΉααα·ααααα‘αααααα·αααααα·αααΎαα½αααα’αΆα ααααααααααΆαααααααααΆ ααα»ααααααααα·αααΎαααααΌαααΆααα ααααΆαααΆαααααααααβ αααααΆα’αΆα ααΉαααααααα»αααΉααααα αΆαααα·αααΆα’αα·ααααΆ α¬Stagflationα α αΎαα’αα·ααααΆααΉαααααααΎαααΆα αα»αααααΆαααα ααααα’αΆαααα·αααΆαααα·αααααααααΆαααααα½αααΎααααα»ααΆαα»ααΎααβ
αααααΆααΆααα’αααααα αΎααααααΆαα±αααα·αα·αααα·αααΆα αααΎααααα ααααΌαααααααααααααααααα½ααααααααΆαααααΆααααααααΆα ααααΆαααααΆααα α»αααααααα·α αα ααααααααΆαα±ααααΆαααΆαα ααΆα ααα αααα»αααΈααααΆαααΆαα αα»ααααα»αααααααααα»ααααΆαααααααααααααααα ααΆααααααα αααΆαααΆααααααα JP Morgan αα·ααααααΆαααααααα·ααΌαα Moody’s Analytics ααΆαααα‘αΎαααααααΆαααααΆαααΎαααΆααα·ααααα·ααααααα·α αα αα αΌααα·ααα ααα 50% α ααααααΆαααΆαααααΆαααα ααααααα ααΎαααΈααα ααααααααα S&P 500 ααΆαααααΆααα α»ααα½αα±ααααααααααΆαααααααα
ααααααΆαααΆααααα ααααα·ααααααΆααααΆααΈαααΌααα’αΆααααααααα»ααα α‘αΎαααα ααΎααααααααααΎααααααα·α αα α’αΆαααα·αααα»αααααα α α»αααααΌααΆαα·ααααααααααααα½ααααα·α?
ααΆαβαααααΌααααααααααααααΆαααΌαα·αααααα»ααααβααααααβα α·αβαα βαα·αβααΆααβααααΎβα²ααβααααααα·α αα βααααβαααα½αβαααα‘αααααααΆαααΎαβαα βα‘αΎαβααα α αααααα’ααααααα αα·αααΆααΆααΆαααα»αααααααα»αααΉαααΆαααΆααααΆααααααααΎαααΈααΆαααΆαααΉαααΆαα·ααααααα ααΆαααααΆααααααΌααααααΆα αα·αααΆααα·αα αααΆααααΆααααΆααα ααΆαα½αααΉαααΆαααααααααΆαααΆαα αααα»α αααααΈααΆαααΆαααΆαααΉαααΆαα½ααα ααααα’αΆαααα·ααα»ααα·αααΆαα αααΆαααΎαα·αααααΆαααΆαααΆαα·ααααα αααα αααααααΆααα αααΉαααΆαααααα ααα»ααααβααααα·αααΎβαααΆααΆααααααΆαβαααα»αβααα‘αΎαβα’ααααΆααΆαααααΆααβαααβαααΆααΆααααααΆαβαααααααααααα»ααααααΌαααααα αααβααααΆααβααααβα’αΆα βααΉαβα‘αΎαβαααα αααβααααΎβα²ααααα αΆααααααααααα»ααααααααααΆαα·ααΆααααα»αααΉααααααααααΆαααααΆαααααΆααα
ααΌα αααα ααΎβααΎαβαααα»αβααΆαβαα βααβααΆαβααΆααααΆααβα αΎαβα¬βαα ? αααααΆααΌα ααΆααΆαααααΆααααααΌαααααααααΆα ααΆααα·αα αααΆααααΆααααααΆαα·ααααααα ααΆαααααααααΆαααΆα αα·αααΆαααααααααααααααααα·α αα αα»ααααααααα αΆαααΆααΆα’αΆα αα αα½α α ααα»ααααβααααα·αβααΎβααΆβαα·αααΆααΎαα‘αΎααααααα ααΎβααΎαβα’αΆα βααα βααΈβααααΆαααα αααααβ α¬αα?
|English Version|
Is a slow-burn stagflation coming? For those unfamiliar, stagflation combines sluggish economic growthβor even a recessionβwith rising inflation and high unemployment. Picture this: a recession, job losses, and soaring prices all at once. In this piece, Iβll share my thoughts on why this triple threat might be brewing in todayβs economy.
Note: This is my opinion, not investment advice.
Immigration and Housing
We already know that immigration will be the first thing Trump would involve himself directly with; that includes sending massive deportees to their respective economies. While this could reshape the labor market conditions, this also largely impacts the rental costs as well. Along with a newly imposed travel restriction that was just released a few days ago, could this continue to deter investment further? Itβs too early to say but the disruption is clear.Β

Layoffs and Demand
Recent massive layoffs are just a starting point from the Trump and Elon Musk evolutions (as shown in the above image), either from the federal worker or DOGE cut; these are aimed at reducing the budget spending. However, we havenβt seen the full ripple effects of a broader business slowdown yet. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate (U6) rose to 8.0%, up from 7.5%, which suggests softness in the labor market conditions.Β
Weak consumer sentiment, coupled with higher inflation expectations and current deteriorated demand, leaves companies with tough choices: cut jobs to reduce costs, pass the burden cost to consumers, or adopt βshrinkflation (a.1). And unlike food companies shrinking package sizes, the tech firm relies on precision components, for which shrinkflation may not be an option. People will lose their jobs and have no household income; of course, spending will dry up. They will only spend less and save more (in the image below) or worse, they canβt even support themselves and push out to the street. This is called the βwealth reverse effect.” (a.3) So where would demand come from? Maybe from the rich.
The only problem we are seeing so far is the wealth gap. Rich will be richer and poor will be poorer. All of those jobs that were lost, are main stream from the middle to low-income class that will be faced in front; however, a longer effect, even the elite could feel the pinch as economic growth deflates.
a.1: Shrinkflation is a term used to describe how the business reduces the product size while maintaining the price.
a.2: Buy-in front is presumably preemptive purchasing.
A.3: Wealth reverse effect = erode the wealth effect.
Trade Wars and Inflation
Inflation expectations are now building up in the name of a trade war. Trumpβs uncertain trade policy changes could lead to higher inflation expectations and possibly end with higher inflation. Whether Trump chooses to proceed as planned or not; this does not matter if many companies panic and stockpile, or I call this a buy-in front (a.2). This will unexpectedly surge production without matching demand. Either way, this will stain the cash flow, resulting in losses and further layoffs. Hyperinflation is not guaranteed, but the risk is growing.Β
Central Bank Action
All of these thoughts will only lead to one conclusion, which is massive easing to stimulate economic growth and reduce the nationβs debt deficit. Will policymakers act fast enough to avoid this slow burnβor are we already too late? This will depend on the durability of the consumer. Letβs say that Trump still sticks to his plan of imposing heavy duties on neighboring countries. A timely demand revival might spark recoveryβbut if the demand stays weak, stagflation becomes a real threat. Inflation will keep coming unless the US has its own production of necessary items in the US.Β
All of these factors are leading many investors to sell off their underlying assets due to fear of recession or possibly fear of stagflation, resulting in turbulence in the stock market for the past few days. In fact, the JP Morgan report and chief economist at Moodyβs Analytics are raising the odds of recession up to almost 50% amid tariff threats. The S&P 500 dropped remarkably.Β
However, that is not the worst-case scenario yet. We only focus on the US economy; how about their trading partner?
Chinaβs massive quantitative easing has yet to revive its economy meaningfully. The UK and Canada face growth stalls from trade tensions, political shifts, and global uncertainty, with layoffs piling up. Japan, despite tensions with the U.S. over defense spending, has held firm. But if the Bank of Japan raises interest rates while other central banks ease, the yen could strengthen, hitting Japanese bondholders hard. Japanese government bondholders will be largely impacted.
So, are we heading off to stagflation now? The signs, such as policy changes, trade uncertainty, layoffs, and economic fragility, all suggest that it is possible. But if it really is, then can we dodge this bullet?