Data and Financial Journalist
In 2025, the U.S. economy didn’t simply cool or rebound but changed in ways that were visible in the data itself.
A shutdown distorted inflation, tariffs reset global trade, U.S. debt buyers quietly swapped places, and food prices surged. I pick five charts that captured how policy and politics reshaped the American economy in 2025.
Foreign investors now hold more than $9 trillion in U.S. Treasurys, but growing purchases by advanced economies contrast with pullbacks by China and other emerging markets.
Despite U.S. tariff uncertainty and China’s ban on chips, the AI GPU leader, Nvidia continues to grow – all due to the strong demand for GPUs (graphics processing units) which it aims to fulfill through strategic partnerships. Its recent partnerships with South Korea’s top companies and its earlier $100 billion OpenAI deal are just the latest in NVIDIA’s long history of AI alliances.
Beginning midnight, Oct. 14, 2025, imports of select wood and furniture items—including softwood, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture—face new Section 232 tariffs, targeting imports of timber, wood products, furniture, and cabinetry.