Season 5, Episode 32: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl talks about why the economy is so spooky… what is going on??

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 32 (7:36 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about “media hysteria” – all the bad & extreme news lately.

• Why have economic headlines been a lot more distressing than the actual article?
• Can you look at economic information glass half full, glass half empty?
• The U.S. GDP numbers are bigger than China, Germany, Japan, and the U.K. all together – what does that mean?
• What industry is really feeling the pinch of the current economy?
• Manufacturing, retail, AI, & automotive sectors… is there potential good news?
• Is national data useful or not?
• Variability around the economy – where ASA members should be looking…
• Will there be a massive impact of rate cuts?
• Are we going to see that extra project work make 2026 more dynamic?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 30: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on a distressing inflation update…

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 30 (8:20 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about inflation, what does it mean, why economists worry about it.

• Inflation comes in 3 different categories – what are they?
• What is creeping inflation? Do we worry about this kind of inflation?
• What is walking inflation? Do we get high rates in this category?
• What is galloping inflation? We rarely see this – why?
• What is the worst category of them all? Have we ever seen the worst of the worst?
• Is the 3% inflation rate we are at now what we aimed for?
• What can we see with gas prices & other energy prices? Are we looking at an oil glut?
• When can the U.S. oil producers make money?
• Inflation continues to rise – does this affect the Fed’s decisions?
• What happens if inflation gets more aggressive?
• Rate reductions in 2026 – should we be optimistic?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 29: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on the economic data that is not being released until the shutdown process is over.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 29 (8:32 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about the government shut down & how it affects economic data coming from an economist themselves.

• How do we deal with data?
• Each economist has different opinions – how do we trust data?
• What is data’s strength & weakness? Why is it so hard to get an answer?
• Data is only as good as the collection itself – why is this a problem?
• How do you find relevant data for what you are actually looking for?
• ASA field all local & regional data – do we care about national data??
• How to understand that there is no sophisticated way to lie rather than in statistics.
• Assess data in a selfish & personal way – how is it affecting YOU?
• The biggest challenge of them all – how do you know if the data you are getting is legitimate?
• ASA gets information from ASA – advocating for the industry – can we trust each other?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 28: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on the government shut down – what concerns are we having?

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 28 (6:08 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about the government shut down & what does this mean?

• Are shutdowns impactful? Do they recover quickly?
• Do government employees catch up with back pay? What groups are hurting most?
• What is the real problem with companies shying away from working with the government??
• The new BBB Bill – why should the construction sector tune in?
• Impact the economy next year – what is the monkey wrench now with this hold?
• Will this provision be mute? What is the latest news today?
• If a proper deal is made, will the shutdown end?
• Figuring out a budget after it’s become a crisis… why wasn’t this decision made a long time ago?
• Most of the data now sending positive signals? Unemployment low, GDP growth, is this guaranteed for the rest of the year?
• Are we on the cusp of a recession?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 28: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on the government shutdown and the declaration of war on drug cartels.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 28 (8:41 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about the government shutdown and what that really means and some other world news. 

• Will this shutdown have an impact on the economy?    
• What do we really expect moving forward?    
• The last shutdown was in 2019 – what was the analysis after the fact?    
• Was there a lot of stress during that period even though there was recovery?   
• The last shutdown was not as clear cut as this time around – why?   
• What is the healthcare benefit concern?  
• What do we see from this point on? Who is next on the chopping block?  
• Other issues – Declaration of war – does anything change?
• Why are we categorizing things differently now? Will this change tactics?  
• Will this emphasis on the drug cartel extend to Mexico? 
• Troops in Mexico – would the U.S. be using sources to aid, or will we not get involved?  
• Where should the focus be? What is the best way to address this?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 27: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on the shifts when it comes to employment and what we have to look forward to in the future.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with hi weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 27 (7:57 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about the job sector.   

• Why are jobs the hardest thing to count and check? 
• Why do some jobs just fly under the radar?
• Uber, Lyft, Door Dash workers respond no to the question of “Are you working” – why is that?  
• Part time & self-employed people, how do we track them as working?  
• Training for AI… is this affecting hiring on people?  
• Are we seeing shifts in how people are getting hired because of the labor shortage?  
• Boomers are slow to retire – is this a problem when it comes to employment?  
• Gen Xers are retiring sooner than boomers – why?    
• Where does that workforce come from when you have an entire generation there?  
• As a country, why do we do such a bad job at training for the future?
• Ongoing labor issue – will this continue on for the years to come?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 26: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl reports on the front. What are other people worried about?

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 26 (8:16 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about what other industries are worried about and talking about.     

• What are the three big things other industries are talking about as concerns?   
• Are other industries adjusting to tariffs? 
• When will they settle on a policy?   
• Why has labor become a universal issue?     
• How can we manage the workforce and have it not deteriorate?   
• The notion that technology (AI) is moving at a rapid pace – what are we supposed to do with it?   
• How do you integrate AI? How much do you spend on it?      
• How do you train these new people with AI being involved? 
• Is AI evolving and becoming increasingly useful?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Brianna Dovichi at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 25: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl. This week Dr. Kuehl focuses on the Fed & interest rates.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with his weekly economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 25 (7:43 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about the conversation of the Fed, the central bank, interest rates, and why it’s all misunderstood.

• What role were central banks created to fulfill that politicians avoid?  
• What does artificial inflation mean? 
• How can we control inflation?    
• Central banks do the dirty work – why?
• Threat of inflation – when will we see this accelerate?      
• What signs are we seeing that the economy is slowing down?
• Does this slowdown help with the holiday season coming up?
• Hawks & doves – what is the difference?     
• If the economy substantially slows down, will there be a JUMBO rate cut?     
• With job creation declining – will that indicate a rate cut?
• Why is the central bank such a complicated organization?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Bri Baresel at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 24: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl! Keith Prather: Dr. Kuehl’s partner at Armada; talks to members about the inflation reports.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is out this week, but we are still back with a special economic update podcast hosted by Keith Prather: Managing Director at Armada. In Season 5, Episode 24 (8:27 in length), Keith talks to members about inflation, consumer & producer price index, and where inflation will be headed.

• The consumer price index – at retail levels are we seeing tariff pressure showing up?
• What industry sector was inflation spiked?
• Producer price index – what is happening on the tariff front?
• Section 232 – steel, aluminum, copper – are we seeing tariff pressure here?
• Impact from an industry perspective – what does this do to the federal reserve?
• Will we see inflation carry out next year?
• What is the fed leaning to do based on this assessment?
• What does the U.S. treasury plan to do with rates? Can we sustain any cuts?
• What would this do to mortgage rates within the residential sectors?
• GDP running hotter and ahead of expectations?
• Overly optimistic - are we picking up from all this new data?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Bri Baresel at [email protected].

Season 5, Episode 23: Welcome back to Keeping it Real with Dr. Kuehl! Chris talks about the latest tariff news & all the unpredictable outcomes.

ASA Chief Economist Dr. Chris Kuehl is back with a special economic update podcast. In Season 5, Episode 23 (8:20 in length), Dr. Kuehl talks to members about once again – TARIFFS.

• Tariff on the imports of gold – why was this unexpected?
• What does this do to the gold thinkers? Are any of us really affected by this?
• Why does Switzerland the highest tariff numbers? What kind of trade surplus do they have?
• Why is India being blindsided? Are they facing high tariffs?
• Can we influence other countries to buy less from Russia?
• We are not seeing a consistent motivation for tariffs – but not unusual.
• The business community in the United States – what will the future look like?
• Change is always taking place – why is this change so difficult to adjust with?
• Third Quarter GDP – what is it looking like?
• Are we seeing a recession? Is it heading in the right direction?

Ask Dr. Kuehl a Question

Have a question or topic for Chris Kuehl that you would like answered on this podcast? Email it to Bri Baresel at [email protected].