Mark and Cris are joined by Dante to unpack the August employment report. While the headline number surprised to the upside, they agree it does little to change their view of underlying job growth. The discussion turns to the implications for monetary policy, including how renewed pressure from President Trump for rate cuts could factor into the Fed outlook. With Marisa away, the team skips the usual stats game and instead weighs the economic risks and opportunities they believe are underappreciated.

Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics

Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Continuing the AI series, the Inside Economics team talks with ConstructConnect Chief Economist Michael Guckes about the data center boom. Michael’s granular view of the buildout sheds light on both the opportunities and risks, including whether financing has outpaced construction and whether cheaper AI models could leave some premium data centers stranded. And as a bonus, he has some thoughts on construction in Area 51.

Guest: Michael Buckes, Chief Economist, ConstructConnect

View our latest articles and research on AI- https://www.economy.com/ai-insight-hub

Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics

Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Stripe Chief Economist Ernie Tedeschi joins the Inside Economics team to separate the signal from the noise in a busy week for the economy and financial markets. The group discusses Kevin Warsh's recent speech and the market's reaction, unpacks the latest PCE inflation data and what it means for the Fed, and explores the remarkable surge in business formations. Are more Americans becoming entrepreneurs because of shifts in how firms are organized, or is technology making it easier than ever to launch and run a business? Ernie shares insights on the rise of solopreneurs and what it could mean for the future of work, productivity, and economic growth.

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Capital Group economist Darrell Spence, who has covered the U.S. economy for more than three decades, separates AI hype from the evidence, explaining how much growth the current capital-spending boom is actually buying, where productivity gains are most likely to show up, and who benefits when they do. He also looks to earlier investment cycles for a sense of how long this one will last. The spending is real, but Spence makes the case that enthusiasm and economic resilience are not the same thing — a distinction that matters more as consumer spending softens, inflation persists, and tariffs push up costs.

Check out the link to Capital Group's 2026 outlook: 2026 Midyear Investment Outlook

View our latest articles and research on AI- Is AI a Miracle or a Mirage?

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Top of mind for the Inside Economics team this week is the surge in long-term interest rates. Colleague Martin Wurm joins the conversation to unpack why rates have risen so sharply, assess whether the U.S. Treasury’s efforts to stem the increase will work, and consider the risk of a much more serious bond market sell-off. Fundamentally, the only real solution is for the nation to address its darkening fiscal outlook. Hmmm….

Guest: Martin Wurm

Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics

Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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MIT professor David Autor, one of the world’s leading labor economists, separates AI hype from evidence, explaining which jobs are most likely to be augmented rather than automated, what that means for wages and middle-skill work, and what past technological shifts teach us about the adjustment ahead. While big changes in the labor market are coming quickly, Autor makes the case that they are manageable—and outlines the policies that could ease the transition.

View our latest articles and research on AI- Is AI a Miracle or a Mirage?

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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The Inside Economics crew is joined by colleague Matt Colyar to run down the week’s slate of inflation and consumer data. Following the recap and a brief detour about lettuce consumption, each puts forward probabilities that the Fed will cut rates, hike rates, or stay put in the near term. The numbers game leads to a discussion of the series the group would put on their Mount Rushmore – an exercise Mark is completely unfamiliar with and blames on the group’s generational divide.

Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics

Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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There was nothing redeeming in the July jobs report, and the podcast crew covered all the pain points: weak job gains, downward revisions, fewer hours worked, slowing wage growth, and a worrisome drop in labor force participation. Fittingly, we had to battle through our own painful series of technical problems while recording - curious whether you’ll notice.

Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics

Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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