The economy's gone from strength to strength after the pandemic — but no one quite knows why, or what comes next

• America has gone from a pandemic crash and recession fears to stocks at record highs and an economic boom.
• Lockdowns, wars, shortages, inflation, interest rates, day trading, and AI have all played a role.
• Here's a look at how we got here — and what might be coming next.

We've been on a strange journey over the past four years.

First there was a deadly pandemic that crashed financial markets and tanked the economy, then spiraling inflation and surging interest rates that squeezed households and roiled industries, and now stock markets at record highs and no recession in sight.

So how did we get here — and what lies ahead in 2024 for the US economy?

Going viral

The COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, spurring widespread lockdowns, travel restrictions, and shuttering businesses.