2026 SBDC Economic Outlook

Description

Where is the economy headed, and what does it mean for the Ozarks?

Charles S. Gascon, economist and assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, opens this year's Economic Outlook with a clear-eyed look at where things stand. Gascon tracks economic conditions nationally and across the Eighth Federal Reserve District, briefs the Bank president ahead of Federal Open Market Committee meetings, and authors the Fed's Beige Book. He'll cover the forces shaping the year ahead, from consumer spending and the job market to inflation and interest rates, and connect the national picture to what it means here at home.

The program continues with a panel of local leaders who put those trends to work on the ground in southwest Missouri, for a candid conversation about lending, real estate, and the outlook for our region's businesses and families.

Moderator: 
Matuschka Lindo Briggs, Senior Vice President and Regional Executive, Little Rock Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Panelists:
Stephanie Hurt, Managing Director, Wealth Advisors, Forvis Mazars
Ryan Murray, CEO, R.B. Murray Company
Shane Cowger, President, Arvest Bank, Springfield

Whether you're steering a company, advising clients, or simply keeping an eye on the economy, you'll leave with a sharper sense of where we're heading and what to watch for next.