Scott Horsley
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Not surprisingly, four weeks of war and a resulting spike in energy prices left economists with a considerably gloomier outlook.
On average, forecasters are now projecting higher inflation and slower economic growth than they were in the early days of the war.
They also expect weaker hiring.
More than three-quarters of the economists surveyed now say geopolitical conflicts pose a downside risk for the economy.
That's up from four months ago, when fewer than half the forecasters surveyed felt that way.
Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
NAIB conducted its usual quarterly survey of economists at the beginning of March, then went back at the end of the month and asked forecasters how their views might have changed.
Not surprisingly, four weeks of war and a resulting spike in energy prices left economists with a considerably gloomier outlook.
On average, forecasters are now projecting higher inflation and slower economic growth than they were in the early days of the war.
They also expect weaker hiring.
More than three-quarters of the economists surveyed now say geopolitical conflicts pose a downside risk for the economy.
That's up from four months ago, when fewer than half the forecasters surveyed felt that way.
Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.
Retail spending grew by six-tenths of a percent in the month leading up to the war with Iran.
Spending at gas stations rose nearly one percent in February.
Spending on gasoline likely jumped even more in March as the war-sent gas prices soaring above $4 a gallon.
Spending at restaurants was also up in February, while spending at grocery stores was down.
Hopes for an early end to the war triggered a big rally in the stock market on Tuesday, but that didn't erase big wartime losses earlier in the month.
It was on April Fool's Day 50 years ago that a couple guys named Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched the Apple Computer Company.