Steve Moore on the Strong US Economy and Positive 2026 Outlook

Economic Growth and Inflation Trends

• 📈 The US economy is showing strong performance with a GDP growth rate of 4.3% and wages increasing by 3.5%, the strongest expansion since 2023.
• 📉 Inflation has decreased to 2.7%, reaching its lowest rate since March 2021.
• 💰 Incoming tax refunds are expected to increase take-home pay for many Americans starting January 1st.

Market Performance and Confidence

• 🚀 All three major stock market indices, including the NASDAQ, are at all-time highs.
• 📊 The average 401k plan has seen an increase of $24,000 after inflation this year, benefiting approximately 150 million people with retirement plans.
• 🗣️ Despite some Americans not yet feeling the economic improvements, metrics like gas prices (averaging $2.83, down from over $3 a year ago) indicate positive trends.

Economic Policy and Future Outlook

• 🇺🇸 The current economic strength is attributed to policies that prioritize America first and jobs, with expectations for continued good news in 2026.
• 🎯 While not a traditional tariff advocate, the speaker acknowledges that tariffs have played a role in securing trade deals that bring billions of dollars into the US economy and finance new jobs and businesses.
• 🔮 The speaker is very bullish on 2026, predicting it will be even better than 2025 and will surprise many economists who had predicted a recession or downturn.