SMU Community Chat

Next Community Chat To Feature AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson

Written by Michael Cowden

July 21, 2022

Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), will be the featured speaker on the next SMU Community Chat webinar on Wednesday, July 27, at 11 a.m. ET.

The live webinar is free. A recording will be available free to SMU members. You can register here.

We’ll talk about big topics like whether the economy is in or might be headed for recession. How do such concerns square with what contractors are experiencing right now?

Another key theme: Interest rates are up as The Fed tries to wrestle inflation under control. What kinds of projects are most vulnerable to higher interest rates and slower economic growth?

Remember the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act? It became law eight months ago. Has it had any impact on demand for construction projects and materials? And, if not, when can we expect to see that demand kick in?

And we’ll of course take your questions too.

Simonson is in a good position to address them because AGC is the leading association for the construction industry, with more than 27,000 member firms across a range of markets.

As always, we’ll keep it to about 45 minutes. You can drop in, learn something – and then get on with your day.

Finally, check out our Community Chat page, to see recordings of past webinars, including our last one with Mercury Resources CEO Anton Posner.

By Michael Cowden, Michael@SteelMarketUpdate.com

Michael Cowden

Michael Cowden is managing editor for Steel Market Update. Cowden has covered the steel industry since 2007. He specializes in flat-rolled steel but has also reported on steel long products, steel pipe and tube, and aluminum. Before joining SMU, Cowden held reporting jobs at Fastmarkets AMM in Chicago, the Associated Press in Pittsburgh, and the Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh. He has also worked as a copy editor and in marketing at the University of Chicago Press. Cowden has a BA in English from the University of Chicago and an MSJ journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Contact him at michael@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7872.

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