ECON-versations with NABE

How well do you understand the economic data that drives forecasts, business decisions, and public policy? In this episode of ECON-versations with NABE, Kathleen Navin, Kenneth Kim, and Michael Horrigan preview the 2026 Economic Measurement Seminar, NABE’s premier event dedicated to the statistics and indicators that shape our understanding of the economy. They discuss why economic measurement is more important than ever, highlight the seminar’s distinguished speakers and timely sessions, and explain how attendees will gain deeper insight into the data behind today’s most important economic questions. If you want to become a more informed consumer of economic data and connect with the experts who produce and analyze it, this episode offers a compelling preview of why you should attend EMS 2026.

🔗LINKS:

• VISIT THE CONFERENCE HOMEPAGE
• VIEW THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM
• IN PERSON REGISTRATION
• VIRTUAL REGISTRATION
• SCHOLARSHIPS
• WRITING SKILLS COURSE
• COMMUNICATION & PRESENTATION SKILLS COURSE

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

In this episode of The Labor Brief from ECON-versations with NABE, Julia Coronado is joined by Martha Gimbel of Yale Budget Lab to unpack the May Employment Report and assess the health of the U.S. labor market. They discuss the report’s surprisingly strong job growth, mixed labor market signals, and what the data may mean for the Federal Reserve’s balancing act between full employment and inflation. The conversation also explores Martha’s research on artificial intelligence and the labor market, including why AI’s broader employment effects have yet to emerge and what economists should watch for as the technology continues to evolve.NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

Webinar Replay | June 1, 2026

Inflation remains one of the most closely watched—and most debated—forces shaping the economic outlook. In this webinar replay, NABE brings together leading inflation experts Laura Rosner-Warburton, Claudia Sahm, and Omair Sharif for a discussion of the evolving drivers of price pressures, from energy pass-through and inflation expectations to supercore services and underlying inflation metrics.

The panel also examines the inflationary and disinflationary implications of AI adoption, the fading contribution of housing disinflation, and the potential effects of tariffs and trade policy on prices and supply chains. Moderated by Michael Redmond, this timely conversation explores the key risks and crosscurrents facing the economy and what they could mean for the Federal Reserve's policy path in the months ahead.

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

Webinar Replay | May 27, 2026

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, inflation continues to shape voter sentiment, local economies, and the broader policy debate. In this webinar replay, TeroAI CEO Dr. Christopher Hooton presents new research using district-level data to examine how inflation influences electoral outcomes across the United States.

Following the presentation, Romina Boccia of the Cato Institute and Dante Chinni of the American Communities Project join moderator Daniel Strauss of Harvard University for a discussion on the political and economic implications of affordability challenges, regional economic conditions, and the role inflation may play in determining the outcome of the 2026 midterms and beyond.

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

In this episode of The Inflation Brief from ECON-versations with NABE, hosts Greg Daco and Laura Rosner-Warburton break down the latest inflation data and the forces continuing to shape the price outlook across the U.S. economy.

The conversation examines the lingering effects of the ongoing oil shock, with energy prices accounting for a significant share of recent CPI increases, alongside rising food and transportation costs. Greg and Laura explore how tariffs are still filtering through different sectors of the economy—from motor vehicles to household furnishings—and discuss why some inflation pressures may be fading while new ones continue to emerge.

They also dive into the growing impact of the AI investment boom on producer prices, including bottlenecks in semiconductors, memory, and data storage, and what those supply-side strains could mean for inflation going forward. The discussion further touches on shelter inflation measurement challenges tied to the government shutdown, as well as the increasingly difficult balancing act facing the Federal Reserve amid persistent inflation and slowing real wage growth.

Tune in for an insightful conversation on the evolving drivers of inflation, the risks of overlapping supply shocks, and what today’s data could signal for monetary policy and the broader economic outlook.

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

Webinar Replay | May 11, 2026

In this episode, NABE Business Conditions Survey Analysts break down the latest survey results and respond to audience questions, offering timely insights into business conditions, risks, and the near-term outlook across industries.

Featured Speakers:

• Martha Moore, CBE, Survey Chair; Chief Economist and Managing Director, Economics & Statistics, American Chemistry Council
• Chad Moutray, CBE, Senior Vice President, Industry Research & Knowledge, and Chief Economist, National Restaurant Association
• Courtney Shupert, Economist, Macro Policy Perspectives LLC

Moderator: Caitlin McLiverty, Director of Economic Surveys and Programs, National Association for Business Economics

The May 2026 NABE Business Conditions Survey report presents the responses of 50 NABE members to a survey conducted April 20-27, 2026, on business conditions in their firms or industries, and reflects first-quarter 2026 results and the near-term outlook.

➡️View the public summary here.

A complete archive of NABE surveys, including full reports and detailed tabulations files, is available exclusively to NABE members at NABE.com/Surveys. Not a member yet? Visit NABE.com/Join to unlock access to this essential resource.

In this episode of The Labor Brief, hosts Ellen Zentner and Julia Coronado unpack the April employment report and what it reveals about the evolving state of the U.S. labor market. They explore the surprisingly broad-based hiring gains, the divergence between payroll and household survey data, and why economists are paying close attention to potential revisions and labor force participation trends.

The conversation also dives into the growing challenges facing economic measurement, including recent Bureau of Labor Statistics efforts to address missing data and methodological questions raised during the government shutdown. Ellen and Julia discuss how economists are interpreting these signals amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, rising energy costs, and concerns about consumer purchasing power.

Plus, they examine the widening divide in economic sentiment across income groups, why inflation is hitting households differently, and what current wage growth trends could mean for hiring and spending in the months ahead.

Listen for a thoughtful discussion on the data behind today’s labor market—and the risks and resilience shaping the economic outlook.NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

In this episode of The Inflation Brief, co-hosts Greg Daco and Laura Rosner-Warburton discuss the latest inflation developments and what’s driving recent shifts in price pressures. The conversation centers on the renewed role of energy in shaping headline inflation, alongside emerging risks tied to global supply dynamics. They also explore how these pressures could filter into other areas of the economy, including food and broader consumer costs.

Greg and Laura then turn to the evolving outlook, examining how inflation is moving unevenly across categories and what that means for the path ahead. From the lingering effects of tariffs to changing housing dynamics and inflation expectations, they highlight the complexity of the current environment. The episode closes with a discussion of how policymakers may respond, and what to watch in the months ahead as inflation trends continue to unfold.

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

This episode features a replay of a live webinar held on April 9, examining the future of U.S. trade policy amid a significant escalation in tariffs under President Trump.

In this timely discussion, panelists explore whether the recent shift toward a more expansive tariff regime—raising duties to levels not seen in decades and broadening the range of affected goods—signals a lasting transformation in U.S. trade policy or a temporary departure that may not endure beyond Trump’s tenure. The conversation also highlights which industries are most exposed to these changes and the potential economic ripple effects.

Featuring Chad Bown (Peterson Institute for International Economics), Kari Heerman (Brookings Institution), and Scott Lincicome (Cato Institute), and moderated by Ed Kean, this episode offers a thoughtful, policy-focused look at one of the most consequential trade developments shaping the U.S. and global economy.NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.

This episode features a replay of a live webinar held on April 8, presented by the NABE Energy Roundtable, examining the economic implications of the evolving conflict in the Middle East—particularly the war involving Iran.

As geopolitical tensions intensify, disruptions to critical supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz have driven sharp increases in oil prices and heightened volatility across global markets. In this timely discussion, panelists explore the outlook for oil supply and prices, how energy shocks are feeding into inflation, and the broader implications for monetary policy, financial markets, and global growth.

Featuring Thomas Nichols (Moody’s) and Kenneth Medlock (Rice University), and moderated by Kunal Patel (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas), this conversation offers a data-driven look at how geopolitical developments are reshaping the global economic landscape—and what risks and scenarios may lie ahead.

NABE is the premier professional association for business economists and others who use economics in the workplace. Since 1959, NABE has attracted the most prominent figures in economics, business, and academia to its membership with highly-regarded conferences, educational and career development offerings, industry surveys, and its unrivaled networking opportunities. Past presidents of NABE include former Chairman of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System, Alan Greenspan, several former Federal Reserve Governors, and other senior business leaders.