Rates are up, consumer confidence is at a record low, and Canadian visitors still aren't coming back. The Puget Sound Economic Forecaster team checks in on how the September forecast is holding up and what it means for the region heading into winter.

In this episode
- How the September forecast is holding up after the Fed's rate increase and a jump in September inflation
- Special guest Dr. Laurie Trautman on what may be a long-term shift in the Canada–US relationship: Canada's trade diversification, BC's move away from US-based contracts, and the continued drop in Canadian visits to Whatcom County
- Why consumers keep spending despite record-low sentiment, and what new credit lines tell us
- How 7%+ mortgage rates are squeezing buyers, builders and renters at once, and why housing supply matters as much as rates
- Fed rates vs. the market: why long-term rates may not fall as fast as short-term rates
- How an oil price shock can lift headline GDP even as households feel the pinch
- Are laid-off tech workers still being absorbed into the Seattle-area job market?

Host
James McCafferty, General Manager and Publisher, Puget Sound Economic Forecaster

Guests
Dr. Hart Hodges, Professor of Economics, Western Washington University, and Co-Director, Center for Economic and Business Research
James Mark Gbeda, Research Economist
Fouzia Awan, Research Economist
McK Mollner, Research Economist

Special Guest
Dr. Laurie Trautman, Director, Border Policy Research Institute, Western Washington University

Links
Puget Sound Economic Forecaster reports and monthly updates: www.economicforecaster.com
Center for Economic and Business Research: cebr.wwu.edu
Questions, comments or speaking requests: [email protected]
BPRI Current Research: Current Research Projects | Border Policy Research Institute | Western Washington University

Recorded October 14, 2026. Economic conditions change quickly. Check our website and social channels for the latest.

After Office Hours with the Puget Sound Economic Forecaster is a production of the Center for Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University. Produced by Jill Poon, Concept 168.