HFR Podcast: Joe Brusuelas, Chief Economist, RSM
In this episode of the HFR podcast, Dr. Joe Brusuelas, Chief Economist at RSM and a member of the Wall Street Journal forecast panel shares his views on key topics including interest rate policy, inflation expectations, tariffs, and data integrity.
A member of The Wall Street Journal’s forecasting panel, Joe regularly briefs members of Congress and other senior officials on economic issues. He frequently offers his insights on the U.S., Canadian and global economies in the financial media, including CNBC, Cheddar News, NPR’s Marketplace, Yahoo! Finance, Financial Times, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Axios and Politico. In 2020, he was named one of the 100 most influential economists by Richtopia. Before joining RSM in 2014, Joe served as a senior economist at Bloomberg LP and the Bloomberg Briefs newsletter group, where he co-founded the award-winning Bloomberg Economics Brief.
Top tip: navigate to specific questions at the timestamps shown below.
Agenda
Future of the U.S. Dollar as Reserve Currency
Is Central Bank Communication a Popularity Contest?
Do Forecasters Agree with Fed Policy Stance?
Pass-Through of Tariffs to Inflation
Middle Market Business Index Insights
Is Privatization of Research and Data Collection Viable?
Timestamps
01:13 What is the future of the dollar as a global reserve currency? Is there a credible alternative to take its place?
05:23 Role of policy certainty and strong institutions in investor confidence
07:00 Is central bank communication now a popularity contest?
10:37 As a forecaster, do you agree with the Fed’s current policy to wait and see for the policy rate?
15:15 Middle Market Business Index and the impact of tariffs on the middle market
18:34 Immigration crackdowns on less skilled workers: why should that impact overall inflation?
23:35 Can we privatize good quality data collection and research, especially in light of the AI revolution?
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