The University of Michigan’s
73rd Annual Economic Outlook Conference
November 20–21, 2025
Rackham Building at the University of Michigan
915 East Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Thursday, November 20
| 8:15am | Registration |
| 8:30am | Continental Breakfast |
| 9:15am |
Welcome |
| John Leahy, Chair, Department of Economics | |
Session I |
|
| Presiding: John Leahy, Chair, Department of Economics | |
| The U.S. Economic Outlook for 2026–2027 | |
| Daniil Manaenkov, U.S. Forecast Lead, RSQE | |
| Consumer Sentiment in a Year of Change | |
| Joanne Hsu, Director, University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers | |
| The State of the US Consumer: Evidence from Numerator Data | |
| Leo Feler, Chief Economist, Numerator | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
Session II |
|
| Presiding: Michael McWilliams, Senior Economist, RSQE | |
| 1:15pm | Afternoon Panel I |
| Trade & Tariffs: Where Are We Now and What Should We Expect? | |
| Linda Tesar, Alan V. Deardorff Collegiate Professor of Economics, University of Michigan | |
| Aaron Flaaen, Principal Economist, Federal Reserve Board of Governors | |
| John Ricco, Associate Director of Policy Analysis, The Budget Lab at Yale University | |
| 3:15pm | Afternoon Panel II |
| AI and the Labor Market—Artificial or For Real? | |
| Betsey Stevenson, Professor of Public Policy and Economics, University of Michigan | |
| Michael Horrigan, President, Upjohn Institute | |
| Emily Rolen, Economist, Employment Projections Program and Office of Occupational Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | |
Dinner at Zingerman's Greyline |
|
| 5:30pm | Happy Hour Networking and Casual Dinner |
Friday, November 21
| 8:30am | Continental Breakfast |
Session III |
|
| Presiding: George Fulton, Director Emeritus, RSQE | |
| 9:00am | The Michigan Economic Outlook for 2026–2027 |
| Gabriel Ehrlich, Director, RSQE | |
| The Economic Outlook: A Perspective from the Midwest | |
| Leslie McGranahan, Senior Vice President and Director of Regional Research and Engagement, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago | |
| The Residential and Commercial Real Estate Markets in 2026 | |
| David Berson, Chief US Economist, Cumberland Advisors | |
| Michigan's Auto Industry: the Road Ahead | |
| Glenn Stevens Jr; Executive Director, MichAuto; Vice President of Automotive and Innovation, Detroit Regional Chamber | |
| 12:30pm | Lunch |
Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors
