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As a rule of thumb, a recession is the fall of a nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) over two or more consecutive quarters. A recession is also referred to as a period of economic decline and reduced economic activity. Factors that may cause a recession include overproduction, decreased demand, falling consumer and business confidence and major economic imbalances, among others. During a recession, the level of unemployment rises, investments decline, and prosperity lags. Real personal income and spending growth also have a tendency to slow if not decline during a recession. A recession can involve rapidly falling (deflation) or sharply rising prices (inflation). The average recession from 1945 to 2005 lasted about ten months but two went on for a record 16 months. The National Bureau of Economic Research is the official arbiter of what is and what is not a recession. A recession in one country can cause a recession to occur in others, specifically trading nations. A recession can be widespread and affect the entire economy or a recession can be industry-specific. |
