Recession Odds 2026 (Prediction Market + Indicators)

What the market is pricing for a US recession, next to the two official indicators economists watch most: the yield-curve spread and the Sahm rule unemployment trigger.

Prediction market says

81.5%

No: US recession by end of 2026?

Polymarket

The official data

10Y minus 2Y Treasury spread0.38%
FRED T10Y2Yas of Jun 2026
Sahm rule recession indicator0.1 pp
FRED SAHMREALTIMEas of May 2026

US recession by end of 2026?

OutcomeImplied %Trade
No81.5%Bet
Yes18.5%Bet

Reading the indicators

A negative 10-year minus 2-year spread (an inverted curve) has preceded most modern recessions. The Sahm rule flags a likely recession when the unemployment rate's three-month average rises half a point above its prior-year low.

Neither is a guarantee. The prediction-market price is the market's all-things-considered probability on top of these signals.

FAQ

What counts as a recession here?

The Polymarket market defines the exact resolution criteria (often an NBER call or two negative GDP quarters). Check the market page for its specific terms.