Is the U.S. economy cooling down or just shifting gears as inflation lingers and job growth slows?

My take: It looks more like the U.S. economy is shifting gears rather than truly cooling down. Inflation is easing but still stubborn, job growth is slowing without a major rise in layoffs, and businesses appear cautious rather than alarmed. This points to a controlled slowdown—a soft-landing effort still in progress—though keeping rates high for too long could increase the risk of a sharper downturn. 🫩