Blue Press Journal

Tag: stock market

  • The Growing Divide: How the Labor Share Hit Historic Lows Essay

    The Trump Economy is not working for the American Middle Class

    by Winston Wendell

    October 21, 2026

    While the share of labor in national income is a crucial indicator of how well the American worker is doing, it appears that during the Trump administration, the workers’ share of the fruit of their labor fell to historic lows. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor share of business output, excluding farms, fluctuated between 56 and 58% during the Trump’s presidency years, which is the lowest it has been since records began.

    Two men outside storefront with “OUT OF BUSINESS,” “HELP WANTED,” and “CLOSED” signs

    Despite the increase in productivity, an indicator that the Trump administration was boasting of, the stock market as an indicator of how the American worker was doing was criticized by the New York Times . The paper revealed that the stock market was a “plummeting indicator of the worries of the average investor”. The Federal Reserve shows that the top 10% of Americans own about 89% of all the stocks, which means that the “market magic” was really just an indicator of how the wealthy and the super-wealthy were doing.

    The main reason for this trend was the tax cuts initiated by the Trump administration in 2017 and 2025. The Washington Post reported that instead of raising wages, as was promised, the corporations used the extra cash to buy back their own shares, which drove up the prices on the stock market.

    The Economic Policy Institute reports that the Trump administration, wages are growing slower than usual, and the decoupling of wages and productivity has reached a historic high. This has happened despite the fact that wages are supposed to be “the most important source of compensation for American workers”. It appears that the economic indicators are all skewed to favor the owners of capital over the laborers.

    Sources:

    Bureau of Labor Statistics – Labor Share Trends

    The New York Times: The Stock Market is Not the Economy

    The Washington Post: Corporate Tax Cuts and Buybacks

    Economic Policy Institute – Wage and Productivity Gap

    Federal Reserve: Wealth Distribution Data

  • The Unrecoverable Losses: Understanding the True Impact of Trump’s Iran War on the Stock Market

    Financial monitor showing 'IRAN WAR COST' and 'MARKET CRASH' with a plummeting line graph.

    “Time is Money”

    Blue Press Journal – The recent deep decline in the stock market, triggered by Trump’s Iran war, has left investors reeling. Financial advisers are quick to reassure their clients that the losses will be recouped, and the market will bounce back. However, they often fail to mention a crucial aspect of market volatility: the lost time.

    When the market is down, the clock keeps ticking, and the time lost is not recoverable. The gains made prior to the decline are not just put on hold; the opportunity to make new gains during that time is also lost. To illustrate this point, let’s consider a hypothetical example.

    MonthMarket PerformanceCumulative Gains
    January10% gain$10,000 to $11,000
    February15% loss$11,000 to $9,350

    In this example, an initial investment of $10,000 in January yields a 10% gain, bringing the total to $11,000. However, in February, a 15% loss wipes out the gains, leaving the investor with $9,350. While the financial advisers might say that the market will recover, the reality is that the two months of lost time cannot be regained. The investor missed out on potential gains that could have been made during those two months.

    The tone of the article is cautionary, highlighting the often-overlooked consequence of market volatility. By using hypothetical numbers, we can see that the lost time can have a significant impact on an investor’s overall returns. As investors, it’s essential to be aware of this hidden cost and not solely rely on the promise of a market rebound.

  • TRUMP: Make America Poor Again

    President Trump’s new policy seems to be “Make America Poor Again,” as he announced tariffs on imports from around the world. This decision caused Wall Street to plummet, following global markets on Thursday. Economists are now warning that the risk of recession is on the rise.

    Interestingly, Russia was absent from the list of countries that Trump plans to hit with steep tariffs, sparking accusations of favoritism towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. This move did not go unnoticed on social media, with critics quick to point out Trump’s admiration for Putin.

    After the U.S. market closed on Wednesday, Trump declared a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries, with higher tariff rates on nations that have trade surpluses with the U.S. China will face a 34% tax, the European Union 20%, and Taiwan 32%.

    Trump announced a significant list of countries and regions that would face new tariffs, which included a number of lesser-known territories with minimal trade relations with the United States. Notably, one mention highlighted a collection of islands that were entirely uninhabited.

    Trump claims that these tariffs will make the global system fairer and bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. However, experts warn that these tariffs could slow down economic growth and worsen inflation, which is already above the Federal Reserve’s target.

    Stocks of major companies like Nike, Best Buy, and Dollar Tree plunged more than 11% before the opening bell on Thursday. Trump has also announced tariffs on auto imports, China, Canada, Mexico, steel, aluminum, oil from Venezuela, and plans for import taxes on pharmaceutical drugs, lumber, copper, and computer chips.

    The Wall Street Journal criticized Trump’s tariffs, listing potential repercussions that could backfire on the president and his agenda. The editorial board highlighted the risks of retaliation and the negative impact on the economy. The future seems uncertain as the world waits to see how these tariffs will play out.

  • Stock Market Plummets: Impact of Trump’s Tariffs

    The U.S. stock market experienced significant drops on Monday, following a global sell-off triggered by concerns over impending tariffs set to be implemented by President Trump on Wednesday. 

    In New York, the S&P 500 was down 0.8%, marking one of its worst losses in recent years. The index is poised to conclude the first quarter of the year with a 5.9% loss, potentially making it the worst quarter in nearly three years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also saw a decline of 111 points, or 0.3%, as of 10:10 a.m. Eastern time, while the Nasdaq composite dropped by 1.7%.

    The primary reason for these market fluctuations is the impending Trump tariffs. Economists at Goldman Sachs anticipate that Trump will announce an average reciprocal tariff of 15%, leading them to adjust their forecasts for inflation and U.S. economic growth for the remainder of the year. They have also raised concerns about a potential 35% chance of recession within the next year, up from an earlier forecast of 20%. This shift reflects a decrease in growth projections, declining confidence, and indications from White House officials suggesting a willingness to endure economic hardships.

    The uncertainty surrounding these tariffs could prompt U.S. households and businesses to curtail their spending, thereby impacting an economy that had been performing well at the end of last year. 

    As April 2nd approaches, the markets are clearly expressing their disapproval of Trump’s economic policies. Despite his portrayal as a successful businessman, Trump’s history of multiple bankruptcies and lack of understanding of basic economics have raised doubts about his ability to navigate the complexities of the financial markets.