What are the Vibes for 2025?

In an earlier post, we called attention to the role that vibes play in the mental calculus around enrollment (and re-enrollment) decisions. Our point is that how people feel about the future shapes their willingness to make major, multi-year financial commitments to a greater degree than simply whether they can afford something right now. Gallup, the global polling firm, is out with a new best-of-times/worst-of-times analysis of how Americans view certain domestic and international scenarios for 2025. In short, they are positive on the economy and negative about world affairs. 

Positive Outlook: When asked about 13 domestic and international possibilities for the coming year, Americans feel more positive than negative about what 2025 will bring for the stock market, employment and inflation: 66% anticipate market gains, 54% foresee full or increasing employment, and 52% expect “reasonable” price increases.  

Negative Outlook: At the same time, majorities predict 2025 will be a year of political conflict, economic difficulty, international discord, increasing power for China and Russia, and a rising federal budget deficit. 

Which will drive the vibe most: good economic news or a sense that the world is increasingly a mess, at least from the US perspective?