I haven't seen common joes talk about a looming recession this much before. Probably a sign that we're not even remotely close to a recession.
During previous recessions people were in denial, just like how the mainstream media was in denial. This time it's completely different (the opposite), which I am actually happy with because I don't want to see recession take place. Recession isn't good for Bitcoin so please stop dreaming about that. It's not a safe haven asset and probably won't be for a long time.
If people want to see Bitcoin do well, we need to have the largest economies in the world do well. The more confidence there is the more speculative capital will enter Bitcoin's market.
Noone wants a recession, but it is unavoidable. This is how the capitalist economic system works, it is not something you can say "won't happen" especially after ten years of economic boom. It might not be a fierce one, as the one in '08, still the economic circles don't go on forever. Looking back in history ten years are too much and we are basically in an overextended circle of bullish momentum and lately panic buying.
A recession occurs when we have two consequentive quarters of negative economic growth, so when we talk about recession we don't mean a deep one as in 2008 or a devastating one as the Great Depression in 1929.
A few signs of an economic bubble and beginning of recession:
- Over-pumped stocks that are using fresh printed money to perform buy-backs. Buy-backs are a sign that too much money exist in an economy and the private sector can't find a useful way to invest them. This happens only at the top of a bubble in this scale.
https://bit.ly/2MF1U8lhttps://bit.ly/2SHLW0W - Unemployment levels in the US are the lowest ever, and wages rising at high rates
https://bit.ly/2MDrfzDhttps://bit.ly/2SwsTXAhttps://bit.ly/2QygsaY - Debt in the US is the highest ever :
- Debt/GDP at 106% (And somehow economy still retains triple-A ratings by Moodies, S&P and the rest)
https://bit.ly/2sts2Mwhttps://bit.ly/2QrBicdDeliquences are at the lowest levels in the last 20 years.
https://www.mba.org/2019-press-releases/november/mortgage-delinquencies-fall-to-lowest-level-in-nearly-25-yearsAll the above are indicators have maxed out and are about to deteriorate. We don't know when they will, this is the problem that we can never know how much they can prolong the bubble. I'd say no more than two years judging from charts and other economies observations.
The more they pump it the worst it will be when it pops, so I'm hoping for recession to begin in the next quarter.
There are other signs as well and another good indicator is the one you already mentioned:
Denial. When people don't even consider recession is likely to happen and they are surprised when someone mentions the term.
There are more people today than in 2007, that are aware of how economies work and they are being cautious, but this is not the majority. Most people don't even have a clue what is going on or what is the GDP growth or unemployment levels.
I give an extremely low chance for the US to avoid recession until the end of 2021. I'm sorry but it is just 1%.
About BTC I will just say that it is not tested yet in a recession, so there is no chart or anything else to analyze.
Will anyone trust Bitcoin with his wealth against a rapid economic collapse or even a small scaled recession in fear of their assets being devaluated?
It remains to be seen.