• Print
  • Email

Why Consumers and Economists See Different Economies

Wednesday, 09/30/26
3:00 PM
Welcome Remarks
3:05 PM
Opening Remarks
Austan Goolsbee, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
3:15 PM
Presentations: What Are Consumers Telling Us?
Moderator
Kyla Scanlon, Economic Commentator and Author, Kyla Labs
Panelists
Brian Fabes, Senior Fellow, NORC at the University of Chicago
Joanne Hsu, Director, University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers and Research Associate Professor, Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan
3:45 PM
Discussion: What Might It Mean?
Moderator
Kyla Scanlon, Economic Commentator and Author, Kayla Labs
Panelist
Ric Estrada, President and CEO, Metropolitan Family Services
4:15 PM
Audience Q+A
4:30 PM
Closing Remarks
4:30 PM
Networking Reception
5:30 PM
Reception Concludes

Why Consumers and Economists See Different Economies

Consumer sentiment is often viewed as a leading indicator of economic conditions, yet public perceptions of the economy are diverging sharply from official statistics and economic forecasts.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago, invites you to join a timely discussion on the relationship between consumer sentiment and the current economy – and what might explain the differences between consumer sentiment and official government statistical data.

This event will bring together leading data experts alongside consumers, small business owners, and nonprofit leaders to explore what’s driving consumer sentiment, how it has shifted over time, and which additional measures of economic health can deepen our understanding of lived economic conditions.

Guided by noted economic commentator and author Kyla Scanlon, the discussion will go beyond the headlines to examine what’s really shaping consumer perception and how it matters to the broader community.

Space is Limited. RSVP by September 23.

Having trouble accessing something on this page? Please send us an email and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 230 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60604-1413, USA. Tel. (312) 322-5322

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved.

Please review our Privacy Policy | Legal Notices