Solutions Economic and Market Watch

Join CFC researchers Sam Kem and Chris Whittle as they explain why improved equipment availability hasn't brought prices back down and how co-ops can manage the higher cost of a more resilient supply chain. Download their new issue brief on the topic, "The Grid Price Index: Measuring Cost Changes for Electric Cooperatives."   Listen to Sam's episode featuring the Grid Price Index.   Visit CFC's GP...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he examines the hidden costs of freezing electricity rates and explains why price caps can shift costs rather than eliminate them. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence brief a...

Join John Suter , vice president of economic research at CFC,  as he examines what the $40 trillion national debt means for interest rates, borrowing costs and the federal budget.  Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he explains why a shrinking middle class does not necessarily mean more Americans are falling into poverty—and what the data say are happening instead.   Read the transcript of this episode.   Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop .  Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast.   Visit us, downl...

Join John Suter , vice president of economic research at CFC, as he explores why persistent inflation and a 5% Treasury yield may signal the end of the low-interest-rate era. Read the transcript of this episode. Listen to the episode mentioned in the show, "A Rule of Thumb for an Uncertain Economy." Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic...

Join Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she uses CFC's new Grid Price Index to explain why some electric distribution equipment costs remain structurally higher than before the pandemic and what that reveals about the hidden cost of resilience. Read the transcript of this episode. Find out more about the Grid Price Index. Read Sam's article, "Grid Equipment Inflation Raises the...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he explains why a growing share of federal debt must be financed by investors who lend by choice rather than obligation, and what that could mean for interest rates and government borrowing costs. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic &...

Join Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she looks at how U.S. fiscal conditions are amplifying global shocks in the bond market and contributing to higher borrowing costs worldwide. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he digs into new Federal Reserve research to ask whether younger generations really are worse off than their parents.  Read the transcript of this episode.   Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop .  Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast.   Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dash...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he explores why the Treasury is buying long-term bonds, what that means for interest rates and borrowers, and why efforts to suppress market signals may create larger problems down the road. Read the transcript of this episode.   Download last week's intelligence brief, " $40 Trillion in Federal Debt ." Contact the Economic & Market...

Join Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she looks at the predictability of future expenses and financial planning in the subscription economy. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard and explore econom...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he untangles the chain reaction that moved the U.S. Treasury to intervene in Japanese currency markets for the first time in almost 30 years.  Read the transcript of this episode.   Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop .  Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast.   Visit us, download the int...

Join John Suter , vice president of economic research at CFC, as he unpacks the "jobless boom," explaining why a growing economy is creating so few jobs and why college graduates are feeling the squeeze most. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the inte...

Join John Suter , vice president of economic research at CFC, as he explores how rising oil prices affect everything from gasoline and groceries to inflation and household budgets. Read the transcript of this episode.   Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop .  Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast.   Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dash...

Join Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she examines why car ownership—not commuting—is straining more household budgets, and what rising auto debt reveals. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard and...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he explains why Harry Truman wanted a one-handed economist.  Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc....

Join CFC's Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst, and Carolina Park , senior manager of Financial Tools & Analysis, as they use the 2025 KRTA results to discover how distribution cooperatives dealt with last year's challenges. Read the transcript of this episode. See past episodes about the KRTA. For questions and requests about the 2024 KRTA report, please contact your RVP or reach out t...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he looks at why futures markets have started pricing in rate hikes instead of cuts.  Read the transcript of this episode. Sources: Real Gross Domestic Product (GDPC1) | FRED | St. Louis Fed   Personal Consumption Expenditures: Chain-type Price Index (PCEPI) | FRED | St. Louis Fed   Personal Saving Rate (PSAVERT) | FRED | St. Louis Fed  ...

Join CFC expert John Suter , vice president of economic research, as he digs into the economics behind $7,000 NBA finals tickets and the value of experiences.  Read the transcript of this episode. Sources: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/most-expensive-sporting-event-ever-185732307.html Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Subscribe to the Economic &...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he looks at the historical fallout of tech-based market bubbles. Sources: What’s driving stock market returns? | J.P. Morgan Asset Management Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2004 AMZN PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2003 Apple Inc. (AAPL) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1984 META PE Ratio History & Cha...

Join CFC researchers Sam Kem, Alisha Pinto and Chris Whittle as they discuss CFC's new issue brief, "Considerations for a Changing Grid: How Are Cooperatives Ensuring Electric Reliability?"  Download the brief.   Read the transcript for this episode.  For questions and requests about industry research topics, please contact utilityresearchpolicy@nrucfc.coop . Contact the Economic & Market Watc...

Join Antony Davies , director of economic research at CFC, as he explains how conditions in each state are affecting population size and potential economic growth.   Sources: GDP (Second Estimate) and Corporate Profits, 1st Quarter 2026 Population Decline in the US by State 2024: PUB Public Sector Annual Surveys and Census of Governments GDP by State Annual growth of real gross domestic product (G...

Join CFC expert John Suter , vice president of economic research, as he looks at current rising bond yields, likely interest-rate trends and how CFC borrowers have coped with higher rates in the past. Read the transcript of this episode. Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop . Subscribe to the Economic & Market Watch podcast. Subscribe to our newsletter....

Join Economic & Market Watch producer Kathy Ryan for a bonus, behind-the-scenes look at how AI has changed the economic research team and the show in the past year.  Links: Read Sam's article " Hormuz: Examining Hidden Risks to Rural America ." Watch Brian Sloboda's Solutions Cast episode mentioned in the show. Watch CFC's Amy LaVigna on AI risk, governance, and oversight. Contact the Economic...

Join Sam Kem , senior economic research analyst at CFC, as she identifies which economic indicators we should be looking at in a K-shaped economy. Learn more: Read the New York Fed's " Same Shock, Different Roads? A K‑Shaped Pattern at the Pump ."  Listen to Antony Davies' episode, " Why Does Inflation Feel Worse Than the Numbers Tell Us? — May 11, 2026 ." Contact the Economic & Market Watch t...