Truist Economic Forecast Breakfast - 2025

The U.S. Economic Outlook: Adopting & Adapting
As we close the chapter on 2025, significant questions remain: Will growth maintain momentum or stall? Has inflation truly been tamed or will it return in force? How will the Federal Reserve calibrate policy amid mounting uncertainty? What headwinds and tailwinds will shape corporate investment, consumer behavior and regional economies in 2026?

Join the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance and Truist for our annual Economic Forecast Breakfast, featuring Mike Skordeles, Head of U.S. Economics at Truist Advisory Services. Skordeles will share his insights into macro trends, interest rate paths, sector dynamics and what local businesses should watch as they plan for the year ahead.

Key topics likely to be covered include:

• GDP growth and risks: Will the U.S. economic growth accelerate or remain sluggish?
• Inflation and pricing pressures: What impact will tariffs have on prices, and will wages keep pace?
• Monetary policy trajectory: How will the Fed navigate the choppy waters?
• Labor markets & consumer strength: Will AI upend hiring and can consumers remain resilient?
• Sector & regional implications: What trends might affect manufacturing, real estate, finance and local industry?
• Policy, trade, and geopolitical variables: Can businesses manage their supply chains through policy shifts and other shocks?

Attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions and engage with the forecast in a Q&A session. Whether you lead a business, a nonprofit or are simply invested in the economic future of Berks County and beyond, this event will equip you with intelligence to inform strategic decisions in 2026.

Meet our Speaker, Michael Skordeles, AIF
Mike Skordeles is head of U.S. economics and a senior vice president at Truist Advisory Services, Inc. He's responsible for analyzing the U.S. and global economies and financial markets as well as helping formulate and communicate investment strategy, and publishing commentaries for our clients. Skordeles is based in Atlanta as part of the firm's Investment Advisory Group. His goal is to make the complex understandable by focusing on the numbers that really matter. Skordeles is a sought-after speaker, sharing his insights with investor and industry groups as well as C-suite executives. He's been quoted in Bloomberg, the New York Times and CNN.com, and he has appeared on CNBC, among other media outlets.