William Kahana

U.S. Overview: A Catalyst for World Growth?

Ross Duvall, Gene Sperling, Sarah Quinlan, William Kahana

A panel of economic experts, including Gene Sperling, John Donohoe, and Sarah Quinlan, analyzed the U.S. economy's robust 3.8% annualized GDP growth and accelerating job market while highlighting persistent structural challenges such as weak non-defense capital goods orders and housing ownership declines. Despite record corporate profits, the group noted a significant disconnect between earnings and capital expenditure, driven by global uncertainty, a strong dollar that dampens exports, and regulatory barriers restricting mortgage access for millions of borrowers. Looking forward, the experts predicted the Federal Reserve would delay interest rate hikes until late 2015 and forecast that housing construction and global demand will only begin to recover in the coming 12 to 18 months.