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The lipstick index and other bizarre recession indicators

What weird trends tell us about financial downturns

The lipstick index and other bizarre recession indicators
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StarsInsider
09/07/2026 09:00 ‧ 2 hours ago | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE

Economy

When economists want to know if a recession is coming, they usually look at complicated charts, stock market trends, or employment data. However, the everyday choices of shoppers can tell a completely different story.

Patterns driven by human behavior begin to show up in grocery stores, clothing shops, and our entertainment options. These unconventional economic indicators track how people adjust their daily lives when money starts to get tight. By looking closely at them, we can spot a looming financial downturn.

Here, we dive into the strange world of weird recession indicators and what they mean for the global economy. Let’s take a look.

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