Stock Market Sell-Off: Correction or Sign of Economic Trouble? Economists Urge Caution as Stock Markets Drop But Recession Fears Premature

Global stock markets experienced significant declines on Monday due to a weak US jobs report and interest rate hikes in Japan, fueling fears of a global economic slowdown. However, most economists say it's too soon to predict a recession and that the market panic does not necessarily reflect the strength of the underlying economy. The recent sell-off is a necessary correction, reminding investors that stocks can decrease after a long period of growth, rather than indicating an approaching recession. Further declines could cause a self-fulfilling slowdown if consumers and businesses pull back sharply, but the underlying fundamentals remain sound for now.