Here, for your comparative studies analytical viewing pleasure, is the current recession recovery in context. Across activity indicators, consumer behavior, labor market developments, and housing & construction, there is a little here for everyone. From vehicle sales to disposable income and from durable goods to industrial production, it seems grading this economy's performance is a matter of 'see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil'.
Extra Credit:
- Can you spot the government-sponsored segment of the economy?
- Compare and Contrast Unemployment Rate and Initial Claims with average hours worked and ISM employment.
- Grade the housing recovery.
Each chart compares the current business cycle with four prior ones: the mild recession/recovery episodes of 1991 and 2001 and the deep V-shaped cycles of 1973 and 1981.
As always, we suspect, we see what we want to see - but here is the chart extravaganza comparing the current to the previous...

Charts: Barclays



