What is a 'K-shaped' economy, and what's causing the divide? (November 2025)
finance.yahoo.com

... The "K-shaped" economy, widely touted in the financial press, is the latest expression of wealth inequality. The U.S. economy is experiencing a growing gap between the highest earners and the richest corporations, who are spending and expanding their wealth, and the lowest-income households and mom-and-pop companies, who struggle to pay their bills day to day. ...

He cited the Fed's ongoing concerns regarding inflation, employment, rising defaults in subprime credit, layoffs, and a "bifurcated economy."

"If you listen to the earnings calls or the reports of big, public, consumer-facing companies, many, many of them are saying that there's a bifurcated economy there and that consumers at the lower end are struggling and buying less and shifting to lower cost products, but that at the top, people are spending at the higher income and wealth," Powell said.

That, in a nutshell, is the K-shaped economy. ...

Never going to be pitch perfect': Trump loyalists see an imperfect messenger
www.politico.com

... The MAGA faithful are thrilled President Donald Trump is back on the road.

But some concede he is an imperfect messenger more apt to voice bullishness on his stewardship of the U.S. economy than he is to acknowledge the financial squeeze voters say they're feeling.

Trump stirred up fresh concerns Tuesday at a Pennsylvania rally that was supposed to focus on easing Americans' anxieties over pocketbook pressures. Instead, he veered off script, at one point urging austerity amid the holiday shopping season by resurfacing a line from earlier this year that American kids should be happy with "two or three" dolls.

The speech demonstrated that Trump's return to the trail is a gamble: It's just as likely to provide Democrats campaign fodder as it is to motivate his MAGA base heading into the midterm elections. And, as Trump plans more rallies in the coming months, his Tuesday performance raises new questions about how the White House can best deploy the president to help ensure Republicans win key congressional and gubernatorial races. ...