Mark Zandi Quotes

"In the absence of a second layer of information, we all assume the job growth is from hiring. It is our default position."

"The potential for even higher energy prices is a risk to the economic outlook. The economy has digested the higher prices gracefully so far. But it can get a bit of indigestion if prices move higher."

"The economy is going to be hit hard by Katrina, and it is going to be hardest on consumers who are already stretched thin. With the surge in gasoline and home heating oil prices, consumers will have a difficult choice to make between filling their gas tank or spending on other things."

"So far, the surge in oil prices has yet to do any significant damage to the broader economy. We may see some softening in the consumer spending numbers soon, but unless that translates into a weaker job market, the economy should be able to weather these higher energy prices."

"This is a significant economic event. This is much more substantial than any other natural disaster that the U.S. has experienced."

"He doesn't have the wide range of experience Greenspan did going into the job, which has served Greenspan well."

"The economy is strong, and if history is a guide it should suggest inflationary pressures should develop, but they haven't. Given the crosscurrents in the economic inflation data, it will difficult for him to be clear-cut."

"The economy hit a pothole in the fourth quarter. I'm not at all worried about the health of the economy."

"It's similar to asking a big part of the labor force to leave. In today's economy where the job market is at capacity, asking people to leave means the economy will not grow as fast. In fact, there could be a very difficult adjustment over the first three to four years when this process is in full swing."

"The economy so far has gracefully digested the higher energy prices _ amazingly so."

"Broadly speaking, the economy is in a pretty good place. But it's no longer obvious what the next step should be. Now it gets a lot more complicated."

"The economy is strong and, if history is a guide, it should suggest inflationary pressures should develop, but they haven't."

"The economy is good, but it hasn't improved for everybody. The gains have predominantly gone to higher-income and higher net-worth households. Lower net-worth households are still struggling."

"Housing, the strongest part of the economy, is still booming, and manufacturing, the weakest part, should gain strength in coming months. Put it all together and it paints a pretty economic picture of solid growth and low inflation."

"Housing is a fault line in the economy that Greenspan is indeed worried about, but he doesn't think a housing (slowdown) will undermine the expansion."

"the economy has weathered these storms about as gracefully as could be expected."

"Trade is far and away the largest weight on the U.S. economy at present. This is a risky time."

"The economy is much improved over the past year but it's still underperforming."

"The economy hit a pot hole in the fourth quarter. I'm not at all worried about the health of the economy."

"The economy hit a pothole in the fourth quarter."