Nationwide hosted a forum on the economic and financial market outlook for 2026, featuring Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic, Chief Investment Officer Joel Coleman, Chief Market Strategist Mark Hackett, Nationwide's Vice President of Government Relations Ben Brewster, and Senior Economist Ben Ayers. Panelists cover a wide range of topics including the stimulus that could result from the One Big Beautiful Bill, the potential for additional rate cuts from the Fed, who could replace Chair Powell when his term ends in May, and how AI is impacting the markets and overall economy.  [NFM-25266M1]

Your guide to 2026: Economic and financial market outlook

Nationwide's Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic and Financial Markets Economist Oren Klachkin analyze December's inflation and employment reports and how they could impact the markets and the Fed's decision on interest rates. [NFM-22911AO]

Encouraging signals from inflation and employment

Nationwide Senior Economist Ben Ayers and Economist Daniel Vielhaber discuss the current state of the auto industry, impact from tariffs, affordability concerns for consumers, and the outlook for 2026. [NFM-22911AO]

Auto Market Outlook: Driving toward affordability

Nationwide Financial Market Economist, Oren Klachkin, and Investment Leader and Head of Fixed Income for Nationwide, Brad Beman, discuss January's FOMC announcement to pause rate cuts, how the markets are responding, and when the Fed could cut rates again. [NFM-22911AO]

Signals from the Fed’s first meeting of 2026

Which direction is our economy heading? Some data show positive trends. But consumer and business surveys may provide a completely different view. Nationwide's Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic and Financial Market Economist Oren Klachkin compare the hard and soft economic data and explain why they are saying different things about our economy. We also discuss soft and hard data regarding the NFL championship game. [NFM-22911AO]

Mixed signals in the economy: hard vs soft data

Nationwide Senior Economist Ben Ayers and Economist Daniel Vielhaber discuss the current state of the labor market, looking closely at hiring trends and the regions where the job market is growing the most. [NFM-22911AO]

America's Hiring Heatmap: Regional analysis of job growth

The housing market is one of the major drivers of today’s inflation trends, with affordability pressures touching millions of households. As home prices, rental rates, and borrowing costs continue to shift, understanding their impact on overall inflation is more important than ever. In this episode, Nationwide economists Ben Ayers and Oren Klachkin discuss the forces behind shelter inflation, the recent proposal for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy mortgage-backed securities to lower mortgage rates, and when conditions may start to feel more normal for buyers and renters. [NFM-22911AO]

How the housing market is raising the roof on inflation

Nationwide's Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic and Financial Market Economist Oren Klachkin analyze the final GDP report from 2025 and examine the Supreme Court’s decision that ruled against the Trump administration’s IEEPA‑based tariffs. [NFM-22911AO]

Core GDP remains solid, while tariff policies forced to pivot

In this timely episode, Nationwide’s Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic and Chief Investment Officer of Nationwide Funds Chris Graham break down how the recent conflict in Iran is influencing the U.S. economy, global financial markets, and the Federal Reserve’s policy path.

Together, they unpack the economic ripple effects that geopolitical shocks can create—from volatility in equities, bonds, and commodities to pressures on key sectors of the U.S. economy. The conversation also looks ahead, exploring market resilience and what investors may expect in the weeks surrounding the upcoming FOMC meeting.

Whether you're an investor, advisor, or someone tracking global economic trends, this episode offers actionable insights to help navigate uncertainty with patience over panic. [NFM-25266M2]

Patience over panic: Geopolitical impacts on the economy and financial market

Geopolitical tensions have rattled energy markets this month—raising questions about what higher oil and gasoline costs could mean for inflation readings and the broader economic outlook. Nationwide's Ben Ayers and Economist Daniel Vielhaber share their insight on how oil prices impact inflation readings and what we expect for inflation in response to the conflict in Iran. [NFM-22911AO]

How the housing market is raising the roof on inflation

Economic Insights by Nationwide

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