Two Chicago institutions will publish their views of the 2027 economy within 48 hours of each other. The University of Chicago Booth School of Business holds its Economic Outlook panel in Chicago on December 9, 2026, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago hosts its 40th annual Economic Outlook Symposium on December 11.

Key Takeaways

• Chicago Booth’s Economic Outlook takes place in Chicago on December 9, 2026, and in New York City on December 10, under the title “Inflation, Debt, and AI: A Global Economy at a Crossroads.”
• Booth professors Randall S. Kroszner, Yueran Ma and Raghuram Rajan make up the panel, with Hal Weitzman moderating in Chicago.
• The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s 40th Economic Outlook Symposium runs December 11 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT as a hybrid event.
• Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee opens the symposium with an 8:40 a.m. fireside chat moderated by Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal.
• Symposium registrants can submit forecasts for four economic indicators, which feed the Chicago Fed’s 2027 consensus outlook.

Two Chicago Institutions Set the 2027 Outlook in One Week

Every December, Chicago becomes a place where national economic forecasts take shape. This year the timing is tight. The University of Chicago Booth School of Business presents its faculty outlook on Wednesday, December 9, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago follows on Friday, December 11. The two events come at the outlook from different directions. Chicago Booth’s panel draws on academic research in finance and macroeconomics. The Chicago Fed’s symposium combines a regional bank president’s view, reports from businesses across its district and a forecast built from its own audience.

Chicago Booth’s Economic Outlook series dates to 1954. It sits within a wider academic research scene that includes Northwestern’s new research initiatives for its 175th year.

Chicago Booth’s December 9 Panel Centers on Inflation, Debt and AI

Chicago Booth titled this year’s event “Inflation, Debt, and AI: A Global Economy at a Crossroads.” The school’s preview poses questions about whether inflation will ease, how rising debt and deficits will affect growth and markets, and who stands to gain or lose as AI reshapes investment, productivity and the workforce. The panel will address what lies ahead for the global economy in 2027, and Chicago Booth repeats the conversation in New York City on December 10.

The Chicago event follows a familiar lineup. On December 9, 2025, the same three professors discussed the 2026 outlook in Chicago, also moderated by Hal Weitzman. Registration is required through Chicago Booth.

Chicago Booth’s Panelists Bring Central Bank and Research Experience

Randall S. Kroszner, the Norman R. Bobins Professor of Economics at Chicago Booth, served as a governor of the Federal Reserve System from 2006 until 2009. Raghuram Rajan, the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance, was the 23rd governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 2013 to 2016 and chief economist of the International Monetary Fund from 2003 to 2006.

Yueran Ma, the Carhart Family Professor of Finance, co-directs the Fama-Miller Center for Research in Finance. Her work focuses on empirical studies at the intersection of finance and macroeconomics. Together, the panel combines two former central bank leaders with a researcher who studies how financial markets and the broader economy interact.

The Chicago Fed’s 40th Symposium Runs December 11

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s 40th annual Economic Outlook Symposium runs from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday, December 11, as a hybrid event. Chicago Fed President and CEO Austan Goolsbee opens the program at 8:40 a.m. with a fireside chat moderated by Kai Ryssdal, host and senior editor of Marketplace.

At 9:30 a.m., a panel titled “Chicago Fed Contact Experiences in 2026” brings together business and community leaders from the Chicago Fed’s district, moderated by John Wanamaker of Iowa Public Radio. The session follows recent Chicago Fed data showing a Midwest manufacturing rebound. Kenneth Medlock of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy presents an outlook for the energy sector at 11 a.m.

AI and the Labor Market Appear on Both Agendas

AI is the common thread between the two events. Chicago Booth’s preview asks who gains and who loses as AI reshapes the workforce. At the Chicago Fed, Kristen Broady, senior economist and economic advisor and director of the Economic Mobility Project, closes the symposium at 12:30 p.m. with a session on AI and the labor market.

The topic carries local weight. A recent Illinois study on data center jobs showed how AI-related investment can create large numbers of short-term jobs with far fewer permanent positions.

Chicago Fed Registrants Can Submit Their Own 2027 Forecast

The Chicago Fed’s symposium includes a forecast competition. When registering, participants are invited to submit forecasts of four economic indicators, which are included in the consensus outlook for 2027. The Chicago Fed says no forecasting experience is required.

Thomas Walstrum, principal business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, presents the consensus forecast for 2027 at 10:30 a.m. He also recognizes the winners of the 2026 forecast competition.

Both Events Require Registration Through Their Hosts

Readers who want to attend Chicago Booth’s December 9 panel need to register through Chicago Booth. The Chicago Fed’s December 11 symposium also requires registration through the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s event page, which offers both in-person and virtual participation. Both institutions have historically published materials and highlights after their events.

 

FAQs

When is Chicago Booth’s 2026 Economic Outlook in Chicago?

Chicago Booth’s Economic Outlook takes place in Chicago on Wednesday, December 9, 2026. A New York City edition follows on December 10.

Who is speaking at Chicago Booth’s Economic Outlook?

Booth professors Randall S. Kroszner, Yueran Ma and Raghuram Rajan make up the panel. Hal Weitzman moderates the Chicago event.

When is the Chicago Fed’s 2026 Economic Outlook Symposium?

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s 40th annual Economic Outlook Symposium runs Friday, December 11, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. CT. It is a hybrid event.

Can anyone submit a forecast to the Chicago Fed symposium?

Registrants are invited to submit forecasts of four economic indicators for the 2027 consensus outlook. The Chicago Fed says no forecasting experience is required.