Solutions Economic and Market Watch

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.

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Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard and explore more economic insights on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

Join Antony Davies, director of economic research at CFC, as he explains why Harry Truman wanted a one-handed economist. 

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Visit us, download the intelligence brief and dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

Sources:

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 
• Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average (CPIAUCSL) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• US Regular All Formulations Gas Price (GASREGW) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Real Earnings Summary - 2026 M06 Results 
• US Real Average Hourly Earnings (Monthly) - United States -… 
• Unemployment Rate (UNRATE) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Labor Force Participation Rate (CIVPART) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• New Study: “Fight for $15” Minimum Wage Hikes Reduced Employment Rates, Hurt Entry-Level Workers | Employment Policies Institute 
• Consumer Loans: Credit Cards and Other Revolving Plans, All Commercial Banks (CCLACBW027SBOG) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Personal Saving Rate (PSAVERT) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted - 2026 M06 Results 
• A-8a. Employed persons and employment-population ratios by age and sex, seasonally adjusted 
• US stocks rise after data shows slowing inflation, even as IBM plunges | Associated Press National | nvdaily.com 

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 to [email protected].

Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at [email protected].

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Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

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 
• Consumer Loans: Credit Cards and Other Revolving Plans, All Commercial Banks (CCLACBW027SBOG) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Real Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCEC96) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Disposable Personal Income (DSPI) | FRED | St. Louis FedFedWatch - CME Group 
• Federal Funds Target Range - Upper Limit (DFEDTARU) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 
• Market Yield on U.S. Treasury Securities at 10-Year Constant Maturity, Quoted on an Investment Basis (DGS10) | FRED | St. Louis Fed 

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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. 

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Sources:

• https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/most-expensive-sporting-event-ever-185732307.html

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Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

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 & Chart Since 2013
• MSFT PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1986
• NVDA PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1999
• Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2020

Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at [email protected]. 

• Read the transcript for this episode.
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Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions. 

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?" 

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• Read the transcript for this episode. 

For questions and requests about industry research topics, please contact [email protected].

Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at [email protected].

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Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

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 (GDP) of the United States in 2025, by state
• SARPP Regional price parities by state
• Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024
• Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)
• Income inequality (Gini Coefficient)
• State and Local Government Finances by Level of Government: U.S. and States: 2017 - 2023

Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at [email protected].
Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions. 

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.

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Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at [email protected].

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Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.

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 & Market Watch team at [email protected].

• Subscribe to the Economic & Market Watch podcast.
• See the transcript of this episode.

Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.