United States: 2024 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for the United States

The U.S. economy has turned in a remarkable performance over the past few years. Hysteresis effects from the pandemic did not materialize and both activity and employment now exceed pre-pandemic expectations. Real incomes were diminished by the unexpected rise in inflation in 2022 but have now risen above prepandemic levels. Job growth has been particularly fast, with 16 million new jobs created since end-2020. However, income and wealth gains have been uneven across the income distribution and poverty remains high, particularly following the expiration of pandemic era support. The outlook is for a continued healthy rate of growth with balanced risks around the baseline forecast.