The U.S. economy has defied many of the dire predictions from earlier this year. When President Trump took office with big promises to hike tariffs and curb immigration, many economists slashed their forecasts for economic growth and raised them for inflation and unemployment.

The economy remained on track this year, defying the gloomiest predictions. That doesn't mean Americans are thrilled with how things are going.

U.S. economy surprises with 4.3% GDP growth in the third quarter of 2025, beating expectations of 3.3% as consumer spending and exports drive the strong performance.

A report from the Bank of America Institute published on Dec. 22 showed spending from consumers in the top third of the income distribution rose 4% over the prior year in November, the fastest level of growth in four years. Spending from households in the lowest third of the income distribution is up less than 1% over the same period.

The jobs report on Tuesday "paints a sobering picture of a job market that may officially be turning frigid after a prolonged cooling period," Laura Ullrich, director of economic research in North America at the Indeed Hiring Lab, told ABC News in a statement.

Members of the carrier's AAdvantage loyalty program no longer earn miles or status points when purchasing a basic ticket.