Ever since the middle of 2016, the powers that be engineered a huge psychological stalling of reality tactic for the entire economy. Or just high hopes that it, the artificial boom, would carry on, last long term. They put the past 2008 to 2016 era “on hold”. There is no real economic prosperity for the masses here yet.
This chart shows how the Dow was FINALLY topping off all thru 2015 and mid 2016, a little double top. Then in mid 2016, Trump came on the scene and was allowed or encouraged to put his old long term rhetoric on prime time TV. The words alone were enough to give total optimism for the US economy, and SPARKED that last leg up. (Another little double top again. Early and late 2018.)
My view is that the run up that they started (Trump can’t be in this alone) in mid ’16 only just delayed what was supposed to happen back in 2016. The situation is FINALLY back to 2016. They (big business/China) “stole” consumer dollars for two more years from the USA, but gave Americans an artificial real estate and stock market boom.