when your car is sputtering... it is almost out of fuel.. so yes i think the economy is dying

Dying economy. Declining.

sputtering: strange actions or sounds that signal something is unstable or not normal. "To spit out or spray particles of saliva or food from the mouth in noisy bursts." or "To spit out words or sounds in an excited or confused manner." Yes. When your car runs out of fuel, it sputters. (So when your car begins to sputter and act strangely, you start to worry about it running out of fuel.) A "sputtering economy" is something to worry about also. I do not think "sputtering economy" means "dying economy" exactly. I think it describes the uncertainty: "shaky" or "unstable." Like the candle or car example, I think it implies it is on the edge of failure. But it is possible for the economy to improve before it is too late and "dies." "sluggish economy" implies that the economy is in a slow period. "sputtering economy" implies that the economy is unstable. They have slightly different meanings. I think it is possible to use both to describe the same economy (as long as both definitions are true). So, no. It is not the same as "red-hot economy" or "sizzling economy." Red-hot economy and sizzling economy have good connotations, meaning those economies are very successful.