UBS(US:UBS) 财富FORTUNE·2025-08-07 13:05Economic Outlook - UBS Global Research predicts a significant slowdown in the US economy by mid-2025, with real GDP annualized growth rate dropping to 1.2%, a sharp decline from the strong growth rates of 2023 and early 2024 [2] - Domestic demand growth has decreased from over 3% last year to approximately 1% in recent quarters, indicating a weakening economic momentum [2] Labor Market Trends - Non-farm payroll growth has slowed dramatically, with only 73,000 jobs added in July, significantly below expectations, and the average monthly job growth over the past three months is only 35,000 [3] - The unemployment rate has slightly increased to 4.25%, the highest level since 2021, while the broader U-6 unemployment rate is also rising, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by over 1 percentage point [3] - The decline in labor force participation rate, rather than sudden immigration or population shocks, is identified as the primary reason for weak labor growth [3][4] Tariff Impacts - New tariff measures are expected to further drag down economic growth, with the weighted average tariff rate projected to rise from about 16% to approximately 19% starting in early August [5] - This increase in tariffs is estimated to reduce economic growth by 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points over the next year, with significant price increases anticipated in sectors such as automotive, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals [5] Monetary Policy Expectations - As evidence mounts of continued economic and labor market weakness, alongside potential inflationary pressures from tariff policies, the Federal Reserve faces increasing pressure to ease monetary policy [6] - UBS expects the Federal Open Market Committee to cut rates by 25 basis points in September and a total of 100 basis points by the end of 2025 [6] - The overall economic outlook suggests a demand-driven slowdown rather than a supply shortage, indicating that the Federal Reserve may soon take action to achieve a "soft landing" for the economy [6]