The next president could inherit a booming economy

A flurry of remarkably good economic news over the past week could create a daunting mandate for whoever is elected the next U.S. president: Don’t mess it up.

Days ahead of the Nov. 5 election, inflation is expected to cool even further from its pandemic peaks, private job creation is beating estimates, pending home sales data is popping, consumer sentiment is surging toward optimism and gross domestic product is growing apace, though slightly below some expectations.

The S&P 500 is up over 50% since President Joe Biden took office in January, 2021, and 24% so far this year, according to Morning Consult.

“Remember how we were going into a depression and all that stuff. Guess what? We have the strongest economy in the world. The whole damn world,” President Joe Biden said Tuesday during an event announcing new infrastructure grants at the Port of Baltimore.

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are both pitching themselves as the best steward of the future health of the U.S. economy.

At the same time, both candidates are working to frame themselves as a departure from the status quo, recognizing voters’ lingering dissatisfaction with…