Moody's Talks - Inside Economics

Charlie Cook, founder of the Cook Political Report and Washington’s “election oracle,” joins the Inside Economics crew to preview the upcoming midterm elections. Charlie shares how he got his start, the story behind founding the Cook Political Report, and how he became one of the most trusted voices in election forecasting. He then digs into the dynamics of the House race and the key Senate contests, predicting that Democrats will win both chambers. Charlie also explains why this cycle is unusual. Our own election forecaster Justin Begley joins the conversation to give the Moody’s Analytics outlook.
Guest: Charlie Cook, founder of the Cook Political Report
For more from Charlie Cook, check out his Substack, https://substack.com/@charliecookpolitics
Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics
Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Big news: Mark became a grandpa, and unlike most data this week, this one won’t be revised. Mark, Marisa, Cris, and colleague Matt Colyar digest the bevy of data released this week, including GDP, PCE, spending, income, and the employment cost index. Mark makes the case for future weakness in spending and growth due to negative real incomes and low saving rates. The rest of the team points out what even a happy new grandpa may be missing: a labor market holding together with low layoffs and spending supported by wealthier households. While Mark is cautious on the economy, the outlook for his grandchild is the one forecast with no downside scenario.
Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics
Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

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Inside Economics closes out its AI series with a rare live taping at the Economic Outlook Conference in New York City. Drawing on lessons from earlier episodes—and plenty of input from the audience—Marisa, Cris, and Mark weigh AI's promise against its perils. The verdict: fears of mass job losses are fading, replaced by worries that AI is inflating a bubble in stock and credit markets.
Read The Macroeconomic Consequences of AI and Aging and the Productivity Puzzle
View our latest articles and research on AI- https://www.economy.com/ai-insight-hub
Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics
Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Toohig of Raymond James joins Mark and Cris to tell the whole story on whole loan trading and what it says about the health of bank lending. The conversation covers consumer credit, mortgages, and commercial real estate. Activity was strong in the first half of 2026 and weak in the second. John explains why next year may flip the script given high rates. The discussion concludes with concerns about deposit flight and cyber risks in the age of AI. In a rarity, every statistic in the stats game earned Mark’s stamp of approval for relevance and difficulty.

Guest: John Toohig, Managing Director at Raymond James, Head of the Whole Loan Trading Group
Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics
Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Leer, Chief Economist at Morning Consult, joins Inside Economics to discuss the mood of the consumer. John shares some interesting nuggets from Morning Consult’s survey, including differences in sentiment across regions, how consumers are feeling about AI and data centers, the job market, the War in Iran, and what this may mean for the upcoming Midterm Elections. Matt Colyar also makes an appearance and gives the group the run-down of this week’s CPI and PPI reports, which both came in hotter than expected. But first, Mark quizzes the Millennials in the group on their knowledge of Gen Z slang words.
Guest: John Leer, Chief Economist, Morning Consult
For more from John Leer, check here: https://morningconsult.com/articles/author/john-leer
Hosts: Mark Zandi – Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, Cris deRitis – Deputy Chief Economist, Moody’s Analytics, and Marisa DiNatale – Senior Director - Head of Global Forecasting, Moody’s Analytics
Follow Mark Zandi on 'X' and BlueSky @MarkZandi, Cris deRitis on LinkedIn, and Marisa DiNatale on LinkedIn

Questions or Comments, please email us at InsideEconomics@moodys.com. We would love to hear from you.

To stay informed and follow the insights of Moody's Analytics economists, visit Economic View.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.