JPMorgan, $JPM, CEO says no recession in US and hopes for soft landing

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon stated that the U.S. economy has "not at all" entered a recession, despite urging calm regarding this week’s market fluctuations. He acknowledged that while market volatility can be unsettling, the probability of a recession is more likely than not.

"Markets fluctuate," Dimon said during a CNBC interview. "I think people sometimes overreact to the daily market changes. Sometimes these reactions are justified, but other times they’re not."

Monday's market turmoil was driven by a weaker-than-expected jobs report, disappointing tech earnings, and the unwinding of the carry trade, making it the most volatile day in the stock market since the pandemic began.

The markets continued to struggle on Wednesday as major stock indices continued to recover from Monday’s sharp decline.

When asked by CNBC if the U.S. economy had already entered a recession, Dimon replied, "not at all." However, he did express that the chances of a recession are greater than those of a smooth economic landing. He also mentioned uncertainties related to geopolitics, the U.S. deficit, quantitative tightening, housing, and elections.

Dimon is among several Wall Street executives and economists who have downplayed concerns that this week’s volatility alone signals a weakening economy. On Tuesday, Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO David Solomon offered a more optimistic outlook.

"My view is that the best chance is for the economy to continue to grow, and we probably won’t see a recession," Solomon said in an interview with Bloomberg.