The University of Michigan’s
74th Annual Economic Outlook Conference
November 19–20, 2026
Rackham Building at the University of Michigan
915 East Washington Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Thursday, November 19 | |
| 8:15am | Registration |
| 8:30am | Continental Breakfast |
| 9:15am | Welcome |
| Presiding: Melvin Stephens Jr., Interim Chair, Department of Economics | |
Session I In Partnership with Flagstar Bank | |
| Introduction: Doug Pagliaro, Senior Director, Institutional Banking | |
| The U.S. Economic Outlook for 2027–2028 | |
| Yinuo Zhang, Senior Economist, RSQE | |
| Consumer Sentiment in a Puzzling Year | |
| Joanne Hsu, Director, University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers | |
| 11:15am | 250 and Counting! Shocks, Structural Change, and Fundamentals |
| Allen Sinai, Chief Global Economist and President, Decision Economics, Inc. | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
Session II In Partnership with University of Michigan Credit Union | |
| 1:15pm | Presiding: Michael McWilliams, Senior Economist, RSQE |
| The Federal Budget Situation: Outlook and Options | |
| Ryan Nunn, Director of Research, The Budget Lab at Yale | |
| The Outlook for the Global Energy Market | |
| Lutz Kilian, Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas | |
| 3:15pm | Panel Discussion: Alternative Data Sources—What Every User Should Know |
| Moderating: Dan Manaenkov, U.S. Forecast Lead, RSQE | |
| Ole Agersnap, Research Lead, JPMorgan Chase Institute | |
| Stephanie Hao, Senior Economist, Revelio Labs | |
| Ron Jarmin, U.S. Census Bureau, retired | |
Dinner at Zingerman's Greyline | |
| 5:00pm | Happy Hour Networking and Casual Dinner |
Friday, November 20 | |
| 8:30am | Continental Breakfast |
| 9:15am | Welcome |
| Presiding: George Fulton, Director Emeritus, RSQE | |
Session III In Partnership with Old National Bank | |
| Introduction: Rick Hampson, Commercial Banking Senior Regional Director | |
| The Michigan Economic Outlook for 2027–2028 | |
| Gabriel Ehrlich, Director, RSQE | |
| The Residential and Commercial Real Estate Markets in 2027 | |
| David Berson, Chief Economist, LogicSource | |
| 11:15am | The U.S. Auto Industry: Headwinds and Tailwinds |
| Joelle Gamble Copeland, Chief Economist, General Motors | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm | Panel Discussion: The AI Buildout—Infrastructure, Investment, and Public Policy |
| Moderating: Dan Manaenkov, U.S. Forecast Lead, RSQE | |
| Molly Kleinman, Managing Director, GLEAM and Institute for Energy Solutions | |
| Robert Kurtzman, Group Manager, Federal Reserve Board | |
| Johanna Mathieu, Professor, University of Michigan | |
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