Podcast
Solutions Economic and Market Watch
Hosted by CFC · EN
Listen to the latest economic insights from CFC experts John Suter, Sam Kem, and Antony Davies.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How Did Co-ops Perform in 2025? — July 13, 2026
2d ago00:08:02Tap to summarizeJoin 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 financialtools@nrucfc.coop.Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Follow the Economic & Market Watch podcast.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Even Good News Is Bad News for Interest Rates — July 6, 2026
1w ago00:05:18Tap to summarizeJoin 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 Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Subscribe to the Economic & Market Watch podcast.Subscribe to our newsletter.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Do Experiences Yield Higher Returns Than Things? — June 29, 2026
2w ago00:05:48Tap to summarizeJoin 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.htmlContact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Subscribe to the Economic & Market Watch podcast.Subscribe to our newsletter.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Are Bubbles Bad for Everyone? — June 22, 2026
3w ago00:05:25Tap to summarizeJoin 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 ManagementAlphabet Inc. (GOOGL) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2004AMZN PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2003Apple Inc. (AAPL) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1984META PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2013MSFT PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1986NVDA PE Ratio History & Chart Since 1999Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) PE Ratio History & Chart Since 2020Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop. Read the transcript for this episode.Subscribe to the podcast.Sign up for the newsletter.Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Reliability in a Rapidly Changing Economy — June 15, 2026
Jun 1500:09:06Tap to summarizeJoin 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 Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Subscribe to the podcast.Sign up for the newsletter.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Rural America's Ace in the Hole — June 8, 2026
Jun 800:06:51Tap to summarizeJoin 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 2026Population Decline in the US by State2024: PUB Public Sector Annual Surveys and Census of GovernmentsGDP by StateAnnual growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States in 2025, by stateSARPP Regional price parities by stateHousehold Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)Income inequality (Gini Coefficient)State and Local Government Finances by Level of Government: U.S. and States: 2017 - 2023Contact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop. Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Borrowing in a Higher-Rate World — June 1, 2026
Jun 100:08:16Tap to summarizeJoin 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.Visit us, download the dashboard and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Bonus: AI and the Economists
May 2600:18:51Tap to summarizeJoin 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 economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.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.
Transcribe →Living in Completely Different Economic Realities — May 18, 2026
May 1800:07:17Tap to summarizeJoin 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 team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
Transcribe →Why Does Inflation Feel Worse Than the Numbers Tell Us? — May 11, 2026
May 1100:05:55Tap to summarizeJoin Antony Davies, director of economic research at CFC, as he explains why what we feel doesn't match what we measure. Sources:Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average (CPIAUCSL) | FRED | St. Louis Fed Average Price: Coffee, 100%, Ground Roast, All Sizes (Cost per Pound/453.6 Grams) in U.S. City Average (APU0000717311) | FRED | St. Louis Fed Table 2. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. city average, by detailed expenditure category - 2026 M03 ResultsAverage Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region : Mid–Atlantic Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAverage Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. City Average and South Region : Mid–Atlantic Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAverage Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. City Average and Northeast Region : Mid–Atlantic Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsContact the Economic & Market Watch team at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop. Visit us, download the dashboard and intelligence brief and explore other Solutions media on our website, nrucfc.coop/Solutions.
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