Is a 2026 economic recession inevitable?

By Mike Switzer

Published May 5, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT

Bruce Yandle, Dean Emeritus at the College of Business & Behavioral Science and Alumni Professor of Economics Emeritus at Clemson University and Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center

With the Iran war generating energy shocks worldwide and a higher cost of living here at home, what are the forecasters saying about the US economic outlook? Should we fasten our seat-belts and prepare for a 2026 recession? Mike Switzer interviews Bruce Yandle, Dean Emeritus at the College of Business & Behavioral Science and Alumni Professor of Economics Emeritus, both at Clemson University. He is also the Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center which publishes his Economic Situation Report.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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