The R-Word Index closed at 71 on , placing public recession concern in the High Concern band. That's up 16 points from a week earlier, when the index was 55. The index is a daily 0–100 signal derived from public human-authored writing online, not from media headlines or official indicators.
What the data shows
The Take — Recession anxiety is running hot, with inflation fears keeping concern near its highest point in months.
What's Happening Public worry about a recession remains intense, barely budging from yesterday’s high. The dominant theme fueling this mood is inflation, with search interest for prices and cost of living spiking all week. People are voicing frustration over rising grocery bills, rent, and utility costs—there’s a real sense that paychecks aren’t stretching far enough.
Online conversations focus less on job loss and more on daily expenses. The drumbeat of price increases is crowding out other concerns, keeping the mood edgy and uneasy. Inflation talk hasn’t cooled off, and that’s what’s keeping recession worry stuck in high gear.
Looking Ahead Unless there’s relief from rising prices, expect recession concern to stay elevated. If inflation headlines persist, public anxiety could climb even higher.
This reflects public sentiment, not economic conditions.
Why this matters today
"Liberation Day" tariffs just landed — 25% average across nearly all imports. Markets in freefall. Our R-Word Index was already at 71 before the announcement, stuck in High Concern for four days straight. People were worried about groceries. Now there is a new reason. https://rwindex.app #Recession #Tariffs
Posted on @R_World_Index on .
How this compares
A week earlier the index was 55. That's a rise of 16 points over seven days.
The last two weeks
The R-Word Index is built from public human-authored writing — not media headlines. How this index is calculated.
A new daily reading — with the headline takeaway — is posted every morning on X. Follow @R_World_Index to catch the next update before it lands here.
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