The trade and tariff uncertainties that continue to challenge domestic and global economies are significantly affecting middle market businesses.
In response, businesses have been stockpiling goods in advance, helping to drive the trade-in-goods deficit to record levels. In addition, this inventory buildup is setting up the risk of a modest inventory correction if demand slows, writes RSM US Chief Economist Joe Brusuelas in the April issue of The Real Economy.
The American economy is strong enough to absorb the volatility caused by the trade uncertainty. We expect GDP growth to decline to 1.5% in the current quarter, with a risk of a slower pace, below 1%.
Also in this issue, Brusuelas continues his analysis of a global economy in transition with his “Market minute” series. Covering topics from trucking and oil production to foreign exchange and financial markets, Brusuelas captures the breadth of these economic changes, an industry at a time.
We look at these topics and more in this issue of The Real Economy.
Numerous regulations are making sustainability a larger compliance issue.
Tax incentives are one part of companies’ broader decarbonization efforts.
Training is the most common action taken toward compliance, but also the top hurdle.
The Real Economy Blog was developed to provide timely economic insights about the middle market economy. It is offered as a complement to RSM’s macroeconomic thought leadership, including The Real Economy monthly publication and the proprietary RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI).
Middle market organizations, which make up the “real economy,” are too big to be small and too small to be big. They have distinct challenges and opportunities around resources, labor, technology, innovation, regulation and more.
