Economists Forecast Stronger US Growth, Lingering Inflation in 2026

A plant employee works on the laundry production line at GE Appliances, in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 8, 2025. Michael Hickey/Getty Images for GE AppliancesThe U.S. economy will grow faster next year than previously projected and inflationary pressures will tick down, but remain elevated, economists polled by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) said in the group’s year-end forecast.The NABE outlook survey, released on Nov. 24 and based on responses from 42 professional forecasters, shows economists marking up their expectations for gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2026. The updated outlook is for the economy to grow 2 percent next year, up from 1.8 percent predicted in a prior October survey and significantly higher than the 1.3 percent growth rate projected in June.