CE Forecast: ‘Taylor Swift Is an Economic Phenomenon’
In his most recent construction economic forecast webinar for CE, ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu offered his usual mix of industry analysis and pop-culture riffing—often at the same time. For example: “Not only is she a music phenomenon, Taylor Swift is an economic phenomenon.”
Basu was making a larger point about the spillover effect that Swift’s gargantuan “Eras” tour has had on the economies of the cities she visits, which reflected a generally more positive interpretation of current market forces on Basu’s part. “The good can take many forms,” he said during the webinar on March 27. “It has many incarnations.
“But in terms of economics, it takes the form of an economy that has vastly outperformed expectations,” Basu said. “The economy in 2023 vastly outperformed mine. I will admit I was too pessimistic last year.”
That said, Basu is still hedging his bets. “Maybe there won’t be a recession,” he said, “but there will definitely be some economic slowing going forth.”
Watch the full webinar at webinars.constructionexec.com/webinars.
Standing Down for Safety
Construction Safety Week is May 6–10—and right in the middle, on Wednesday, May 8, OSHA will present its 11th annual National Safety Stand-Down, which is aimed at raising awareness of fall hazards in the construction industry.
Construction Safety Week is partnering with OSHA on this year’s program, calling it “the largest industry-wide construction stand-down ever held.” Companies across the industry are encouraged to participate by taking a break on May 8 to discuss fall prevention and other safety issues directly with workers.
For more information, visit osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down.
