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.
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.
Despite sanctions, Russia’s crude oil exports remain steady. Trade flows have pivoted from Europe to Asia, with China and India now the top buyers. India’s growing imports—and its refusal to join Western sanctions—have triggered steep new U.S. tariffs.
U.S. trade deficit shrank to $60.2B in June 2025, the lowest since Sept. 2023, driven by falling imports and rising tariff uncertainty.