GENERIC PRODUCTS MARKET: the U.S. enters a prolonged economic recession JAPANESE LUXURY CAR MARKET (in the U.S.): due to trade negotiations, Congress eliminates the 50% tariff on Japanese "luxury cars" (i.e., cars costing more than $50,000) AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY: negotiations with the United Auto Workers union results in auto makers raising the wages of the auto workers by 30% CREDIT CARD MARKET: government imposes an 16% cap on the interest rate issuers of credit cards can charge their customers; the current rate is 21%