What the data shows
The Take — Recession anxiety is running hot, as inflation fears and worries about global conflict feed a steady drumbeat of concern.
What's Happening After weeks of rising chatter, people remain deeply uneasy about inflation, which dominates both search trends and everyday conversation. Lots of discussion centers on the cost of living and stubbornly high prices, with many drawing direct links between current inflation woes and the possibility of a recession. The war in Iran is adding fresh fuel: there’s a surge in talk that spreading conflict could trigger a financial crisis even bigger than 2008, with some voices warning of ripple effects from foreign turmoil landing hard at home.
Despite a tiny dip from yesterday, sentiment remains firmly in the “high concern” zone. People aren’t just worried about numbers—they’re anxious about daily realities, like groceries and rent, and guessing how far economic shocks from abroad might reach.
Looking Ahead Unless inflation headlines cool or the global picture stabilizes, expect recession talk to stay top of mind and concerns to remain elevated.
This reflects public sentiment, not economic conditions.
Why this matters today
R-Word Index at 73 — High Concern for six days. Oil past $120 from the Hormuz crisis, inflation heading toward 4%, and today's jobs report could add to the picture. The concern started with grocery bills. It has grown wider. https://rwindex.app #Recession #Iran
Posted on @RWIndex on .
How this compares
A week earlier the index was 62. That's a rise of 5 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.