The data is in, and last year presents an economic conundrum: Overall growth was relatively strong, but job growth was virtually nonexistent. It bodes ill for the gap between the rich and everyone else . Newly released data showed the US economy grew 2.2% in 2025. That's a respectable pace, although cooler than the past few years. Economic activity was affected by the record-long government shutdown in the fall, businesses figuring out how to handle trade announcements, and new investments.