How much fuel is still in the economy's tank?

Investors are wondering how quickly the global economy can keep growing

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Investors are growing increasingly worried that the best of the economic recovery is already in the rearview mirror, said Gunjan Banerji and Akane Otani at The Wall Street Journal. After a blistering first half of 2021 that saw the S&P 500 notch 39 record closes, the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant has emerged among "a growing list of concerns" that spooked the market this week and fueled questions about how quickly the global economy can keep growing. A rise in COVID cases in several countries, including the United States, has "reignited the debate about whether governments should resume lockdowns and curb activity." Amid the sell-off early this week — the Dow fell more than 700 points in one session, its worst since October — airline and energy stocks plummeted. Meanwhile, around the world the Delta variant threatened new supply shocks, last month shutting down China's Yantian port. "Fresh data last week showed that consumers stepped up spending in June," but growing inflation may also be starting to weigh on consumer sentiment, which plunged in early July. "Now, some investors are asking: Is this as good as it gets?"

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