economy
October 26, 2026
Economic & Market Watch
Follow the Podcast
Apple | Spotify | Pocket Casts | Overcast | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | More
Intelligence Brief & Dashboard
Our weekly download features both a big-picture economic dashboard and an in-depth intelligence brief covering a single facet of the economy.
In this week's brief: Inflation and Purchasing Power.
In the News
Economy
- The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at its meeting Wednesday following September's rate increase. Investors will also monitor Thursday's release of third-quarter U.S. gross domestic product, which economists forecast will show 3.2% annualized growth, and September inflation data amid concerns about rising energy costs.
- Rising gasoline prices and borrowing costs continue to pressure U.S. consumers. Average gasoline prices reached approximately $4.32 per gallon in mid-October, nearly $1.30 higher than a year earlier, while mortgage rates have climbed above 7%.
Markets
- West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures fell to $101/barrel Monday morning, retreating from last week's surge as Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran to help ease Middle East tensions. Oil prices remain elevated amid concerns about potential supply disruptions following attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure.
- U.S. stock futures edged higher Monday morning as declining oil prices improved investor sentiment ahead of the Fed's interest rate decision and quarterly earnings from major technology companies. Dow futures gained approximately 0.4% while S&P 500 futures rose 0.2%.
Current Events
- Yemen's Houthi group said Monday it had attacked Saudi Arabia's east-west crude oil pumping stations and Riyadh airport, although Saudi officials had not immediately confirmed the claims. The developments heightened concerns about Middle East energy infrastructure and potential disruptions to global oil supplies.
- Meta plans to raise up to $95 billion through stock offerings to fund its massive artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investments, with Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom expressing interest in buying shares. Growing financial ties among AI companies are raising concerns about interconnected risks if AI spending slows.
Meet the Team
CFC's economic research team—John Suter, Sam Kem and Antony Davies—share their expert, yet easily digestible, perspective on what you need to know.
Have feedback about the podcast? A topic you'd like the EMW team to cover? Get in touch at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Trading Economics
See More Economic Research
Visit the CFC Member Website for the Monthly Rate Snapshot, webinars, conference videos and other exclusive content.