North Dakota’s rural economy is showing mixed signals. The state’s Rural Mainstreet Index dipped to 50.4 in August, pointing to a slight slowdown, even as hiring surged and farmland prices inched higher. Exports, however, told a different story: agricultural sales abroad fell[...]
Tag: Economic Forecast
News |
Why is tourism down in Vegas this summer? Some blame Trump
Las Vegas is still glittering with lights and crowds, but behind the spectacle, visitor numbers are slipping. June saw an 11% drop in tourists compared to last year, with international travelers—especially from Canada and Mexico—leading the decline. Some point to tariffs, immigration[...]
Commentary |
Trump, the BLS, and Our Age of Choose-Your-Own-Reality Governance
When a government fires its own statistician for delivering bad news, it's not just a personnel change—it’s a warning shot at reality itself. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is supposed to be the scoreboard, not a cheerleader. But with Donald Trump ousting[...]
Commentary |
Zero-sum Thinking and the Labor Market
The economy young people face today no longer follows the predictable path of college, career, and homeownership. Instead, it feels like a high-stakes slot machine, where algorithms, rising costs, and shifting industries dictate outcomes. This uncertainty is feeding a zero-sum mindset—where success[...]
News |
Midwest economic outlook tempered by variety of factors; ND manufacturing exports surge
Rural economies across the Midwest and Plains are showing cautious signs of growth despite ongoing challenges with low commodity prices, higher input costs, and falling exports. Creighton University’s June Rural Mainstreet survey climbed to 51.9, signaling growth for only the third time[...]
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News |
Inflation heats up in June as President Trump’s tariffs start to bite
Prices are rising again, and it's looking increasingly like tariffs are the culprit. The latest numbers show a 2.7% jump in consumer prices over the past year, with noticeable increases in rents, clothing, and household goods. With the impacts of the trade[...]
News |
Science Museum of Minnesota lays off 43 people, downsizes by $7 million
The Science Museum of Minnesota is cutting 43 full-time positions—13% of its staff—and trimming $7 million from its $38 million budget as attendance continues to lag nearly 30% below pre-pandemic levels. The restructuring eliminates entire departments, including access and equity and program[...]
Curio |
Tallying the two channels of job losses from tariffs
Tariffs are often pitched as a way to bring factory jobs back home—but the math doesn’t hold up. New analysis suggests that current and proposed U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods could cost up to 3.4 million American jobs. Why? Because most trade[...]
News |
Hospitality businesses see fewer customers and higher costs across Minnesota
As Minnesota’s summer season hits its stride, hospitality businesses are facing stormy skies instead of clear sailing. A new survey from the Minneapolis Fed reveals that rising costs, cautious customers, and a wave of cancellations are leaving hotels, restaurants, and resorts in[...]
News |
Nonprofits roiled by funding cuts and threats of more cuts, surveys find
Across Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, nonprofit organizations are feeling the ground shift beneath them. Federal funds are drying up, private donations are faltering, and costs—from food to wages—keep climbing. In a spring survey of over 250 nonprofits, nearly every response[...]
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News |
Fed holds interest rates steady, still sees 2 cuts coming this year
Even as inflation shows signs of cooling, the Federal Reserve isn’t ready to ease up just yet. With interest rates holding steady for a fourth straight meeting, Fed officials now predict inflation will tick back up before the year ends—though they still[...]
Curio |
Former head of the World Bank shares global economic insights during lecture at NDSU
For decades, Robert Zoellick helped shape America’s approach to the world — open markets, strong alliances, and steady leadership. Speaking this week at North Dakota State University, the former World Bank president warned those principles are slipping. From trade wars with Canada[...]
News |
Listen: When it comes to the economy, it’s all about uncertainty
Uncertainty can be just as damaging as the tariffs themselves. That’s the concern from economists like Mark Zandi, who warns that President Trump’s shifting trade policies are rattling businesses. After threatening steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico, then delaying them, then enforcing[...]
News |
NDSU Economist Has outlook positive for North Dakota
NDSU Professor Jeremy Jackson is the Director of the Center for the Study of Public Choice and Private Enterprise. And in that role, he's developed a quarterly economic forecast model. The fourth quarter model was released in November and is showing positive[...]