This is the regime read as it stood on July 6, 2026, from that day’s model output. See today’s regime →
Contraction
The downturn case. Growth is breaking and the labor market is following.
Closest alternative: Overheating at 24.6% · Contraction -0.2 pts on the day
All five regimes
- Cooling21.8%
- Soft Landing14.5%
- OverheatingRunner-up24.6%
- Inflation Shock13.0%
- ContractionLeading26.1%
This snapshot is more than a day old. The next engine run refreshes it. As of July 6, 2026.
The US macro picture points to Contraction (26% probability, low confidence), with Overheating as the main alternative at 25%. Growth is slowing, inflation is firming, and geopolitical shock is moderate. The main tension comes from headline cpi at 4.2% yoy, sharply higher.
— What changed
What moved that day
Regime call changed from Overheating to Contraction
Quantitative moves in the top 10% historically. The model is repricing significantly. Compared with June 29, 2026 (5 sessions ago).
- majorOverheating down 2.8% to 24.6% (was 27.4%)
- majorInflation Shock down 4.5% to 13.0% (was 17.5%)
- majorContraction up 4.9% to 26.1% (was 21.2%)
- majorEquities stance changed from Cautious, late-cycle risk to Risk-off
- majorRates stance changed from Yields biased higher to Rally, yields falling
- majorCredit stance changed from Carry positive, spreads uncertain to Spreads widening
- majorDollar stance changed from USD firm to Strong USD, safe haven
- majorGold stance changed from Range-bound to Positive but conflicted
- majorOil stance changed from Constructive to Demand collapse, bearish
- majorgold flipped from confirming to diverging
- majorS&P 500 flipped from diverging to confirming
- majorWTI crude oil flipped from diverging to confirming
- moderateCooling up 1.5% to 21.8% (was 20.3%)
- moderateSoft Landing up 0.9% to 14.5% (was 13.6%)
- moderateFinancial conditions momentum shifted from declining to stable
- moderateNew confirming driver: consumer sentiment at 44.8, sharply lower
- moderateNew confirming driver: crude oil sharply lower
- moderateNew confirming driver: wage growth at 3.5% YoY, well below trend
- moderateConfirming driver dropped: core PCE at 3.4% YoY, well above trend
- moderateConfirming driver dropped: headline CPI at 4.2% YoY, sharply higher
- moderateConfirming driver dropped: retail sales +6.9% YoY, above trend
— The four internals
Under the hood
Growth
Slowing
Score42.6 / 100Momentum: Stable↓ -0.2 wkIs the economy expanding or slowing. Jobs, output, spending.
Inflation
Firming
Score59.8 / 100Momentum: Declining↑ +0.1 wkHow fast prices are rising, and whether the trend is up or down.
Financial Conditions
Neutral
Score52.8 / 100Momentum: Stable→ 0.0 wkHow tight money is. Yields, credit spreads, the cost of borrowing.
Geopolitical Shock
Moderate
Score32.7 / 100Momentum: Falling↓ -0.8 wkStress from outside the model. Oil, war risk, market volatility.
— Leading / lagging
Firming or breaking down
Leading signals
Fast-moving market and survey data. Where the economy may be heading.
Lagging signals
Confirmed hard data. Where the economy demonstrably is.
The two layers disagree, so the regime is contested. Leading signals lean Contraction; lagging signals lean Overheating. Leading signals typically lead the confirmed data by about 6 weeks.
— What's next
Where it could go from here
- Overheating24.6%Primary alternative
A transition to Overheating would require headline CPI to move higher, core PCE to move higher, and consumer sentiment to shift higher. Current momentum is working against this transition. consumer sentiment is already near transition-compatible levels. Assumes other conditions remain constant.
- ↓ headline CPI (YoY %) · moderate gap
- ↓ core PCE (YoY %) · moderate gap
- → consumer sentiment · small gap
- ↓ crude oil ($) · moderate gap
- ↓ wage growth (YoY %) · moderate gap
- Cooling21.8%Primary alternative
A transition to Cooling would require consumer sentiment to shift higher, crude oil to move higher, and capacity utilization to shift higher. Current momentum is working against this transition. consumer sentiment and capacity utilization are already near transition-compatible levels. Assumes other conditions remain constant.
- → consumer sentiment · small gap
- ↓ crude oil ($) · moderate gap
- → capacity utilization (%) · small gap
- ↓ 5Y breakeven inflation (%) · moderate gap
- → USD index · small gap
— Drivers
What held the call up
Confirming
Points that support the current regime call
- consumer sentiment at 44.8, sharply lower
- crude oil sharply lower
- wage growth at 3.5% YoY, well below trend
Disconfirming
Points that argue against it
- headline CPI at 4.2% YoY, sharply higher
- core PCE at 3.4% YoY, well above trend
Confirming
S&P 500, WTI crude oil
Diverging
gold, high-yield credit spreads
— Asset implications
What this regime has meant for markets
The engine’s read, by asset class
- EquitiesRisk-off
Growth at 42.6 with stable momentum signals rising recession risk for equities.
- RatesRally, yields falling
Contracting growth drives a duration rally as the market prices in aggressive rate cuts.
- CreditSpreads widening
Recession risk and neutral financial conditions widen spreads as defaults rise.
- DollarStrong USD, safe haven
Flight to safety and dollar liquidity demand drive strong USD in a contraction.
- GoldPositive but conflicted
Gold benefits from rate cuts and safe-haven demand as growth contracts, but current price action is not fully confirming as dollar strength crowds out the gold bid.
- OilDemand collapse, bearish
Demand collapse from contracting growth overwhelms supply factors.
How assets behaved historically in Contraction
Annualized figures across every past day the model scored this regime. History, not a forecast.
- +34.9%
Nasdaq 100
Vol 58.4% · Sharpe 0.60
- +27.9%
Gold
Vol 26.0% · Sharpe 1.07
- +8.5%
S&P 500
Vol 58.7% · Sharpe 0.14
- +7.5%
7-10Y Treasury
Vol 12.3% · Sharpe 0.61
- +3.3%
TIPS
Vol 17.2% · Sharpe 0.19
- -3.7%
IG Corporate
Vol 33.6% · Sharpe -0.11
- -5.5%
Energy
Vol 98.7% · Sharpe -0.06
- -14.7%
HY Corporate
Vol 33.3% · Sharpe -0.44
- -22.5%
Developed Markets
Vol 56.2% · Sharpe -0.40
- -29.7%
Russell 2000
Vol 70.1% · Sharpe -0.42
- -36.1%
Emerging Markets
Vol 56.9% · Sharpe -0.63
Sources & method
Every number on this page is produced by the Personal Stakes US macro engine and read straight from its published output. The website does not recompute the model, re-rank regimes, or invent values. Where a figure is missing, the section is left out rather than guessed.
- Reference date
- July 6, 2026
- Data as of
- 2026-07-06 00:00 UTC
- Run trigger
- major macro release
— Free · Daily
Get the briefing in your inbox.
One plain-language market briefing after the close, every market day. Free forever.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime