The Walmart Recession Signal, a measure of Walmart's stock price relative to luxury stocks, has spiked leading up to the last four US downturns.

People are preparing themselves for the fact that we are already in a recession now or that there is a high likelihood we will soon be in one,” said Hady Farag, a partner and associate director at Boston Consulting Group.

Dr. Tyler Goodspeed shares his thoughts on what a recession is, and what it isn’t — and how you can smartly prepare

Economists have pulled up their risk assessments of a contraction amid heightened uncertainty over geopolitical risk and a labor market slump.

There's good news and not-so-good news for investors right now.

Rising oil prices and a slowing labor market could be the two forces that drag the US economy into a downturn, Mark Zandi said.

Recession forecasts aren't always correct. But for now, it's wise to prepare your investments for a potential recession just in case.

The value of gold could be impacted by a recession, but maybe not in the way you'd expect. /iStockphoto . Gold has long stood out as a fascinating investment asset, no

Blame rising oil prices.

Mark Zandi said the risk of a US recession is rising, and flagged the exact level he thinks oil would need to hit to spur a downturn.

Several indicators suggest Australia might be heading for a recession - if not already in one - as oil shock from the Middle East crisis and interest rates smash consumer confidence.