The December 2018 NABE Outlook presents the consensus macroeconomic forecast of a panel of 53 professional forecasters (see last page for listing). The survey, covering the outlook for the end of 2018 and each quarter of 2019, was conducted October 31-November 15, 2018. The NABE Outlook Survey originated in 1965 and is one of three surveys conducted by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE); the others are the NABE Business Conditions Survey and the NABE Economic Policy Survey. Founded in 1959, the National Association for Business Economics is the professional association for those who use economics in their work. NABE has over 2,800 members and 40 chapters nationwide. Gregory Daco, Oxford Economics, Chair; Julia Coronado, MacroPolicy Perspectives; Robert Fry, CBE, Robert Fry Economics; Jack Kleinhenz, CBE, National Retail Federation; Chad Moutray, CBE, National Association of Manufacturers; Yelena Shulyatyeva, Bloomberg LP; and Ryan Sweet, Moody’s Analytics, conducted the analysis of survey responses for this report. The views expressed in this report are those of the panelists, and do not necessarily represent the views of their affiliated companies or institutions. This report may be reproduced in whole or in part with appropriate citation to NABE.
SUMMARY: “NABE Outlook panelists continue to view the economy as having solid momentum entering 2019, but they foresee GDP growth cooling from 2.9% this year to 2.7% in 2019,” said NABE President Kevin Swift, CBE, chief economist, American Chemistry Council. “The panel expects the Federal Reserve to continue gradually tightening monetary policy, and anticipates a federal funds rate hike at the upcoming December FOMC meeting, followed by three rate increases in 2019.” “While panelists remain generally optimistic, three-quarters of respondents see risks being tilted to the downside,” added Survey Chair Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist, Oxford Economics. “Panelists view increasing trade tensions as the primary downside risk to their outlook, with 80% of respondents reducing their 2019 GDP growth outlook in response to trade policy developments. Even so, recession risks are still perceived to be low in the near term, with the panel expecting a 20% risk of recession by the second half of 2019, and a 30% chance by the end of 2020.”
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