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The Chicago Business Barometer rose to 57.6 in July, topping economist expectations and extending the index’s run above the neutral 50 mark to three consecutive months. The reading follows June’s 56.7 and May’s four year high of 62.7, a stretch that has reversed April’s unexpected slide back into contraction at
Real GDP grew at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026, according to the advance estimate released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. That is a meaningful step down from the 2.1 percent pace in the first quarter, and it comes paired with a
June’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) release provided a welcome sign of relief, as headline inflation declined to 3.7% year over year, down from 4.1% in May. On a monthly basis, prices fell 0.1%, reversing the prior month’s increase and reflecting a meaningful short-term cooling in inflation. Much of the improvement
America’s largest companies are quietly reversing a year of hiring restraint. Railroad giant CSX, Google parent Alphabet, government contractor Booz Allen, and staffing firm Robert Half have all told investors in recent days that they plan to expand headcount, according to a Wall Street Journal report published this week. Booz
What Has Happened Since the Agreement Five weeks ago, the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war. The 14-point agreement reopened the Strait of Hormuz, eased certain financial restrictions on Iran, and set a 60-day window to negotiate the harder issues, including Iran’s nuclear
Most conversations about a professional contract stop at the total value. The number gets reported, repeated, and attached to an athlete’s name for the rest of their career. What that number does not describe is when the money arrives, how much of it is actually promised, what conditions have to
Every time the Federal Reserve signals it is raising the Federal Funds rate, a familiar headline shows up: “Higher interest rates threaten stocks.” It sounds intuitive. It is also often an oversimplification. History shows the relationship between interest rates and stocks is far less mechanical than the conventional wisdom suggests
Privately owned housing starts rose 19.0% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.427 million, according to the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the strongest reading since March and 3.5% above the June 2025 pace. On its face this is a dramatic turn.
Private equity firms screen out most opportunities before a first meeting is ever scheduled. That decision happens quietly, well before any conversation about price or terms, and it’s shaped by a narrow set of criteria many business owners never see spelled out. What gets a business past that first screen
The University of Michigan’s preliminary July reading came in at 54.4, up from a final June figure of 49.5 and well above the 51.0 consensus, the highest level since February and the second consecutive monthly gain following May’s 44.8, an all time low in a series that runs back to
A signing bonus arrives as one number. The amount that actually reaches an athlete’s account is often a different number entirely, and the gap between the two is rarely explained clearly before the contract is signed. Understanding that gap, and planning around it in advance, is one of the most
Please find the next blog in our monthly series that provides a snapshot of the markets and the state of the economy. Economic Overview Market Returns Asset Class Valuations – Rebalancing Rationale Key Risk Factors We Are Watching Disclaimers: The views expressed herein are those of Asset Consulting Group (ACG).
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