Is the US in a recession? Macroeconomic Barometer, October 2026

Data as of October 1, 2026 · Updated October 10, 2026

Short answer, as of October 10, 2026

None of the three US recession gauges tracked here has reached its threshold, though the real-time Sahm rule rose to 0.00 in September. Euro area inflation reached 3.8% (flash), and the 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.31% on October 5, its highest since 2002.

  • Recession signals: the real-time Sahm rule reads 0.00 for September, after −0.07 in August (trigger 0.50), the Richmond Fed SOS indicator −0.004 for the week ending September 26 (trigger 0.20), and the 10-year minus 2-year Treasury spread stands at +0.44 pp on October 9. Nonfarm payrolls rose 29,000 in September, July and August were revised down by a combined 60,000, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% (BLS, October 2).
  • Inflation: US CPI up 3.4% year over year in August, core CPI 2.4% (BLS, September 11); the September CPI is due October 14. PCE price index 3.4%, core 3.0% (BEA, September 30). Euro area HICP at 3.8% in September according to the flash estimate, from 3.2% in August, core 2.5% (Eurostat, October 2).
  • Central banks: no decision since October 1. The Fed’s target range has stood at 3.75–4.00% since September 16, and the ECB deposit facility rate at 2.50% since the same date. Next decisions: FOMC October 28, ECB October 29.
  • Financial conditions: the Chicago Fed NFCI stands at −0.494 for the week ending October 2, still looser than its historical average, after six consecutive weekly increases on the current vintage. The Baa corporate spread over the 10-year Treasury is 1.48 points on October 8 (Moody’s via FRED). The 10-year Treasury yield reached 5.31% on October 5, its highest since May 2002, then 5.22% on October 8 (FRED, DGS10).
IndicatorLatest readingOctober 1 editionBenchmark
Sahm rule, real timeFRED SAHMREALTIME0.00September 2026−0.07 (August)Trigger 0.50
below trigger
SOS indicatorRichmond Fed−0.004week to 09/26−0.004 (week to 09/12)Trigger 0.20
below trigger
10Y − 2Y Treasury spreadFRED T10Y2Y+0.44 pp10/09/2026+0.41 pp (09/30)Inverted below 0
not inverted
Financial conditions, NFCIChicago Fed−0.494week to 10/02−0.548 (week to 09/25, since revised to −0.510)Historical average = 0
looser than average
Nonfarm payrollsBLS+29,000September 2026+162,000 (August, first estimate)August revised to +133,000, July to −10,000
US CPI, year over yearBLS3.4%August, core 2.4%3.4% (August, core 2.4%)Fed goal 2% (on PCE)
above 2%
Euro area HICP, year over yearEurostat3.8%September, flash; core 2.5%3.2% (August, final)ECB target 2%
above 2%
Fed funds target rangeFederal Reserve Board3.75–4.00%since 09/16/20263.75–4.00%Unchanged; next FOMC October 27–28
ECB deposit facility rateECB2.50%since 09/16/20262.50%Unchanged; next meeting October 28–29
US Treasury 10-yearU.S. Treasury · FRED DGS105.22%10/08/20265.29% (09/30)−0.07 pp; 5.31% on 10/05, highest since 2002
Baa corporate spread over 10-year TreasuryMoody’s via FRED BAA10Y1.48 pp10/08/20261.46 pp (09/29)+0.02 pp
Brent, dated spotEIA via FRED$125.4410/06/2026$113.96 (09/29)October high $135.51 (10/02)
VIXCboe via FRED15.4110/08/202616.04 (09/29)−0.63

By Eco3min Research. Readings retrieved at the source on October 10, 2026, for the first update of the month (October edition published October 1). The dashboard, the “Since October 1” section and the cycle signals are updated after the main releases of the month; the monthly detail further down (September highlights, month-end markets, macro data, framework) stays dated October 1. What changed since October 1 · Method, sources and revisions

Macro regime · United States

Updated October 13, 2026

Current regime

Transition / mixed signals

Outside the 7 regimes

Neither growth nor underlying inflation has left its neutral zone: the grid points to none of the seven cyclical regimes.

Growth

On trend

CFNAI, 3-month averageChicago Fed · Aug 20260.01

Underlying inflation

Stable

Trimmed Mean PCE, 12-monthDallas Fed · Aug 20262.2%

Financial conditions

Neutral

NFCIChicago Fed · Oct 2026−0.49

NoteUnderlying inflation stable (2.2%), but an energy shock is under way: Brent +68% year on year (Sep 2026). Headline inflation exceeds the persistent inflation the classification measures.

Global contextSynchronizedCommodity supply/demand shock
Method v1.1.0 · Eco3min Research

Since October 1, 2026: the releases of the month

Euro area unemployment, October 1. Eurostat puts the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of the euro area at 6.4% in August 2026, unchanged from July. The euro area has comprised 21 member states since January 1, 2026. Source: Eurostat, euro indicators release on unemployment, October 1, 2026.

US employment, October 2. The September jobs report shows nonfarm payrolls up 29,000. July was revised from +21,000 to −10,000 and August from +162,000 to +133,000, a combined downward revision of 60,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%, and average hourly earnings were up 3.0% over the year. The real-time Sahm rule (FRED, SAHMREALTIME) moved to 0.00 for September, from −0.07 for August. Source: BLS, The Employment Situation for September 2026, October 2, 2026.

Euro area inflation, flash estimate, October 2. Annual HICP inflation is estimated at 3.8% in September, from 3.2% in August. Inflation excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco stands at 2.5%, from 2.4%. By component: energy 18.8% (14.3% in August), services 3.2% (3.0%), food, alcohol and tobacco 1.4% (1.1%). Source: Eurostat, flash estimate of euro area inflation, October 2, 2026.

Markets, September 30 to October 8. The 10-year Treasury yield went from 5.29% to 5.22%, after reaching 5.31% on October 5, its highest level since May 2002; the 2-year yield went from 4.88% to 4.75%, and the 10-year minus 2-year spread stood at +0.44 point on October 9. The Baa spread over the 10-year Treasury went from 1.47 to 1.48 points, and the VIX from 16.34 to 15.41. Dated Brent (EIA spot) went from $115.91 on September 30 to $135.51 on October 2, then $125.44 on October 6, the latest published value; dated WTI went from $97.18 to $96.24 over the same period. Source: FRED (DGS10, DGS2, T10Y2Y; BAA10Y, Moody’s; VIXCLS, Cboe); EIA spot prices (DCOILBRENTEU, DCOILWTICO).

Next releases: September CPI (BLS), October 14 · final September HICP (Eurostat), October 16 · FOMC, October 27–28 · ECB, October 28–29 · Q3 GDP advance estimate and September PCE (BEA), October 29 · euro area Q3 GDP flash estimate and September unemployment (Eurostat), October 30. The November edition, with data as of November 1, replaces this page at the start of the month.

Cycle signals: institutional indicators, updated October 10, 2026

−0.49

avg. = 0

NFCI: Chicago Fed National Financial Conditions Index

A composite of 105 variables (money markets, debt, equities, the banking system). A negative reading indicates financial conditions looser than the historical average since 1971. The index stands at −0.494 for the week ending October 2. On the current vintage (weekly readings are revised), it has risen for six consecutive weeks, from −0.551 in the week ending August 21, while remaining below zero. The three sub-indices for the week ending October 2: risk −0.576, credit −0.026, leverage +0.137. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago via FRED (series NFCI, NFCIRISK, NFCICREDIT, NFCILEVERAGE, week ending October 2, 2026).

0.00

threshold = 0.50

Sahm rule: real-time recession indicator

Developed by Claudia Sahm (formerly at the Fed). It measures the gap between the 3-month moving average of the US unemployment rate and its low over the prior 12 months. The 0.50 threshold has historically coincided with the start of every recession since 1950. The real-time reading for September 2026 is 0.00, after −0.07 in August and −0.03 in July: the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in September, from 4.1% in August. A reading of zero leaves the bar empty. Next release: November 6, 2026, with the October employment report. Source: FRED, series SAHMREALTIME.

−0.004

threshold = 0.20

SOS: Scavette-O’Trakoun Sahm-style indicator (Richmond Fed)

A weekly variant of the Sahm rule using the insured unemployment rate. Developed by O’Trakoun (Richmond Fed) and Scavette (Philadelphia Fed), published in Economics Letters 2025. The underlying series is published in our Sahm-rule recession-indicator dataset. Recession threshold: 0.20. The indicator stands at −0.004 for the week ending September 26, below the threshold; continuing claims stood at 1.716 million for the same week. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, SOS page last updated October 8, 2026; FRED, series CCSA.

These indicators are designed to detect recession and financial stress. They are not trading signals. The thresholds mentioned are historical benchmarks, not predictions. Values are subject to revision.

Monthly detail · September highlights, month-end markets and data as of October 1, 2026

Yield curve spread and the Sahm rule

US yield curve spread (10Y − 2Y) and the Sahm rule. A curve inversion (negative value) has historically preceded most US recessions. The curve is not inverted: the slope stands at +0.41 pp on September 30, its August 31 level, after a low of +0.20 pp on September 21. The Sahm rule triggers at the 0.50 threshold; the chart plots the current-vintage series, at −0.07 for August. Data: FRED (T10Y2Y, SAHMCURRENT).

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Sources: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), Bureau of Labor Statistics

Financial conditions: NFCI

The Chicago Fed’s National Financial Conditions Index and its three sub-indices (risk, credit, leverage). A composite of 105 variables spanning money markets, debt, equities and the banking system. A positive value = historically tighter conditions. As of September 25, 2026: NFCI −0.548, risk −0.629, credit −0.061, leverage +0.084. Data: FRED (NFCI, NFCIRISK, NFCICREDIT, NFCILEVERAGE).

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Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago via FRED

Factual highlights: September 2026

Fed: a quarter-point increase, the first since July 2023. On September 16 the FOMC raised the target range for the federal funds rate by a quarter point to 3.75–4.00%, by a 12–0 vote. The statement says that “economic activity is expanding at a solid pace”, that “inflation remains elevated”, and that the decision “will support a timelier return to the Committee’s 2 percent goal”. The meeting was accompanied by a Summary of Economic Projections. The effective federal funds rate has stood at 3.88% since September 17. Source: Federal Reserve Board, FOMC statement, September 16, 2026; FRED (DFEDTARU, DFF).

ECB: three key rates raised by 25 basis points. On September 10 the Governing Council raised the deposit facility rate to 2.50%, the main refinancing operations rate to 2.65% and the marginal lending facility to 2.90%, effective September 16. The press release states that “the conflict in the Middle East continues to generate inflation pressures, and inflation is set to remain well above target for an extended period”. The staff baseline puts headline inflation at 3.0% in 2026, 2.5% in 2027 and 2.1% in 2028, inflation excluding energy and food at 2.5%, 2.6% and 2.3%, and growth at 0.9%, 1.4% and 1.5%. On September 24 the ECB announced that Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel will step down on 3 January 2027 to join the IMF. Source: ECB, monetary policy decisions, September 10, 2026; ECB press release, September 24, 2026.

Inflation: above 3% on both sides, PCE revised down. US CPI for August (released September 11) rose 0.4% on the month in seasonally adjusted terms and 3.4% over twelve months, the same pace as in July. Core CPI rose 0.3% on the month and 2.4% over the year (from 2.5%). Energy rose 2.1% on the month and 16.3% over the year; shelter is up 3.0% over the year. On September 30 the BEA put the August PCE price index at 3.4% year over year and the core measure at 3.0%, with monthly gains of 0.3% and 0.2%. The release incorporates the annual update of the national accounts, with revisions back to January 2021: the July readings now stand at 3.4% and 3.0%, against 3.7% and 3.3% as first published on August 28. The Dallas Fed’s Trimmed Mean PCE stands at 2.19% for August (2.28% in July). In the euro area, Eurostat’s final estimate (September 17) puts August HICP at 3.2%, a tenth below the 3.3% flash, against 2.9% in July; energy 14.3%, services 3.0%, and 2.4% excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco. France: 2.6% in August, and 3.4% in Insee’s provisional September estimate (September 30). Source: BLS, Consumer Price Index, August 2026; BEA, Personal Income and Outlays, August 2026; Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Eurostat, euro indicators, September 17, 2026; Insee, Informations rapides, September 30, 2026.

Growth: the second quarter revised up on both sides. The BEA’s third estimate (September 30) puts US Q2 2026 GDP at +2.2% at an annual rate, revised up 0.7 point from the second estimate, mainly on investment, consumer spending and government spending; Q1 is revised to +2.5%. Real final sales to private domestic purchasers rose 4.6%, and real gross domestic income 2.6%. In the euro area, Eurostat’s September 7 estimate puts Q2 GDP at +0.6% quarter over quarter, against +0.4% in the August 14 flash, and +1.2% year over year; employment rose 0.1% on the quarter. Euro area unemployment stood at 6.4% in July; the August figure is due October 1. Source: BEA, GDP (Third Estimate), Q2 2026, September 30, 2026; Eurostat, GDP and employment, September 7, 2026; Eurostat, unemployment.

Employment: August payrolls up, and prior months revised up. The August jobs report (released September 4) shows nonfarm payrolls up 162,000. July, first reported at −23,000, was revised to +21,000, and June from +20,000 to +31,000, a combined upward revision of 55,000. The unemployment rate held at 4.1% and the participation rate rose 0.2 point to 61.6%. Average hourly earnings rose 10 cents to $37.75, up 3.1% over the year. Weekly initial claims stood at 197,000 for the week ending September 19. Source: BLS, The Employment Situation, August 2026; U.S. Employment and Training Administration via FRED.

Commodities: Brent above $110, gold up in August. Dated Brent (EIA spot) went from $89.75 on August 28 to a September high of $130.80 on September 15, then $113.96 on September 29; dated WTI stood at $96.16 the same day. The EIA’s monthly Brent average for August is $91.08, up 34.2% on August 2025. Gold averaged $4,411 an ounce in August, against $4,073 in July, a rise of 8.3%; the September average is due in early October. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration via FRED (DCOILBRENTEU, DCOILWTICO, MCOILBRENTEU); World Bank, Commodity Price Data (The Pink Sheet), September 2, 2026.

Employment: weekly initial jobless claims

Initial jobless claims (ICSA) are released every Thursday by the Department of Labor. The highest-frequency US macro indicator and the earliest warning signal for the labor market, ahead of the monthly jobs report (NFP). For the week ending September 19, 2026, ICSA = 197,000, after 198,000 and 207,000 in the two prior weeks and 204,000 in the week ending August 22. Data: FRED (ICSA).

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Source: U.S. Employment and Training Administration via FRED

Equity market return, August 2026

MarketAugust 2026July 2026Source
United States
Value-weighted market, USD
+2.85%−0.28%Kenneth R. French Data Library
Europe
Value-weighted market, USD
+1.43%+1.87%Kenneth R. French Data Library
Japan
Value-weighted market, USD
+2.46%+1.96%Kenneth R. French Data Library

Value-weighted market portfolio returns in US dollars (Kenneth R. French Data Library). These are not national stock indices; one month behind the rest of the barometer. Total monthly return = market excess return (Mkt-RF) plus the one-month risk-free rate (RF), from the files built on August 2026 data, read on October 1, 2026. Past returns have no predictive value.

Rates, commodities, volatility

AssetLevelDateSource
US Treasury 2-year
Sensitive to Fed expectations
4.88%09/30/2026U.S. Treasury · FRED (DGS2)
US Treasury 10-year
Benchmark sovereign yield
5.29%09/30/2026U.S. Treasury · FRED (DGS10)
US Treasury 30-year
Long-end benchmark
5.64%09/30/2026U.S. Treasury · FRED (DGS30)
Spread 10Y − 2Y
Curve slope
+0.41 pp09/30/2026FRED (T10Y2Y)
30-year mortgage rate
Freddie Mac
7.03%09/24/2026Freddie Mac via FRED (MORTGAGE30US)
Baa corporate spread
Baa yield minus 10-year Treasury
1.46 pp09/29/2026Moody’s via FRED (BAA10Y)
Broad dollar index
Nominal, Jan. 2006 = 100
120.3309/25/2026Federal Reserve Board H.10 via FRED (DTWEXBGS)
VIX
Cboe implied volatility index
16.0409/29/2026Cboe via FRED (VIXCLS)
Gold, monthly average
USD/oz
$4,411August 2026World Bank, Pink Sheet
Brent (dated spot)
Europe Brent FOB
$113.9609/29/2026EIA via FRED (DCOILBRENTEU)
WTI (dated spot)
Cushing, OK
$96.1609/29/2026EIA via FRED (DCOILWTICO)

Several lines are not dated September 30: the FRED series for the Baa spread, the VIX and oil had not been published for that day at the time of writing; the mortgage rate is a weekly series published on Thursdays; the broad dollar index is published weekly with a lag; and gold is a monthly average (World Bank Pink Sheet, September file due in early October). Treasury yields for September 30 are read from the U.S. Treasury daily par yield curve. Over September, the 2-year and 10-year yields both rose 54 bps, leaving the 10Y−2Y slope at +0.41 pp, its August 31 level; the Baa spread narrowed 13 bps and the VIX rose 1.12 points. Indicative values, subject to revision.

Policy rates and bond yields

The Fed policy rate (Fed Funds), 2-year and 10-year Treasury yields, and the 30-year mortgage rate. The transmission chain between monetary policy and the real economy. As of September 30, 2026: target range 3.75–4.00% since September 16, effective fed funds 3.88% (September 29), 2-year 4.88%, 10-year 5.29%, 30-year mortgage 7.03% (week ending September 24). Over September the 2-year and the 10-year yields both rose 54 bps. Data: FRED (FEDFUNDS, DGS2, DGS10, MORTGAGE30US); U.S. Treasury daily par yield curve for September 30.

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Sources: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Freddie Mac (MORTGAGE30US), via FRED

Credit spread: Baa vs 10-year Treasury

The gap between the yield on Moody’s Baa-rated corporate bonds and the 10-year Treasury yield measures the premium investors require to hold mid-grade corporate credit rather than federal debt. As of September 29, 2026, it stood at 1.46 percentage points (146 bps), against 1.59 at the end of August. That is below 96.9% of trading days since 1986, a period over which the average is 2.26 points. Data: Moody’s via FRED (BAA10Y).

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Source: Moody’s via FRED (BAA10Y)

Macroeconomic indicators: latest releases

United States

Q2 2026 GDP (3rd estimate)+2.2% SAAR
Q1 2026 GDP (revised)+2.5%
CPI August (YoY)3.4%
Core CPI August2.4%
PCE August (YoY)3.4%
Core PCE August (YoY)3.0%
Trimmed Mean PCE August2.19%
Fed funds (target)3.75–4.00%
NFP August+162,000
NFP July (revised)+21,000
Unemployment rate August4.1%
Participation rate August61.6%
NFCI (09/25)−0.548
Sahm rule August−0.07 thr. 0.50

Euro area

Q2 2026 GDP (Sept. 7 estimate)+0.6% QoQ
Q2 2026 GDP (YoY)+1.2%
HICP August (final, YoY)3.2%
Core HICP August2.4%
Energy August (YoY)+14.3%
Services August (YoY)3.0%
ECB deposit rate2.50%
ECB refi rate2.65%
Marginal lending facility2.90%
France inflation August (HICP, final)2.6%
France inflation September (HICP, provisional)3.4%
Euro area unemployment July6.4% August due 10/01
Next ECB decision10/29/2026

Inflation and expectations

Market-implied inflation expectations: 10-year breakeven (T10YIE) at 2.36% on September 30 (the gap between nominal and inflation-indexed 10-year yields), 10-year real interest rate (DFII10) at 2.91% on September 29, and the 5Y5Y forward rate (T5YIFR) at 2.36% on September 30. The 5Y5Y forward is the Fed’s preferred gauge of long-term expectations anchoring; it rose 5 bps over the month, while the 10-year real rate rose 47 bps, from 2.44%: most of September’s rise in the nominal 10-year yield came through the real rate. Data: FRED.

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Sources: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (DFII10), Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (T10YIE, T5YIFR), via FRED

Analytical framework: the month’s factual elements

The data available as of October 1 describe a configuration in which both central banks raised rates in September while activity data were revised up and the recession gauges stayed below their thresholds. Inflation remains above 3% in the United States and in the euro area, and long-term US yields rose sharply over the month.

On activity: the BEA’s third estimate lifts US Q2 2026 GDP to +2.2% at an annual rate, from +1.5% in the second estimate, and revises Q1 to +2.5%, as part of the annual update of the national accounts. Real final sales to private domestic purchasers, the sum of consumer spending and private fixed investment, rose 4.6%. In the euro area, Eurostat’s September 7 estimate raises Q2 growth to +0.6% quarter over quarter, from +0.4% in the flash. The ECB’s staff projections were revised up for 2026 and 2027, a revision the press release attributes “mainly” to “the greater than expected resilience of the euro area economy”.

On employment: August payrolls rose 162,000, and the revisions added 55,000 jobs to June and July combined, the reverse of the previous month, when they had removed 103,000 from May and June. The unemployment rate held at 4.1% and the participation rate rose to 61.6%. The real-time Sahm rule stays negative at −0.07, the SOS indicator at −0.004 against a 0.20 threshold, and weekly claims stood at 197,000 in the week ending September 19. The September report, on October 2, is the first after the Fed’s increase.

On inflation: US CPI holds at 3.4% year over year in August with core at 2.4%, the energy component running 16.3% above its year-ago level. The annual BEA update lowers the Fed’s preferred measure: the PCE price index stands at 3.4% in August and the core measure at 3.0%, July having been revised from 3.7% and 3.3% to 3.4% and 3.0%. The Dallas Fed’s Trimmed Mean PCE eases to 2.19%, and the 5Y5Y forward stands at 2.36%. In the euro area, final August HICP is 3.2% with energy at 14.3%; Insee’s provisional September HICP for France, at 3.4% against 2.6% in August, precedes the euro area flash estimate of October 2.

On central banks and markets: the Fed and the ECB each raised their policy rates by 25 basis points in September, the Fed by a unanimous vote and for the first time since July 2023. Over the month the 10-year Treasury yield rose 54 bps to 5.29%; the 10-year real rate rose 47 bps to 2.91% and the 10-year breakeven 5 bps to 2.36%, while the 10Y−2Y slope ended September at +0.41 pp, its August 31 level, after touching +0.20 pp on September 21. Credit spreads did not follow: the Baa spread narrowed to 1.46 points. The NFCI rose for three consecutive weeks to −0.548, still looser than its historical average, and net liquidity fell about $9B to roughly $5,770B as the Treasury account rose to $977B. Dated Brent stood at $113.96 on September 29, after a high of $130.80 on September 15.

Key items to watch: October–November 2026 calendar

The October 2 releases listed below have since been published: their results are in the Since October 1 section above.

01 September NFP: October 2, 2026. The first jobs report since the Fed’s September 16 increase. August showed +162,000 and upward revisions of 55,000 to June and July; the report also carries the revision to August. The real-time Sahm rule (FRED series SAHMREALTIME) updates the same day; it stands at −0.07 for August against a 0.50 trigger.
02 Euro area HICP flash for September: October 2, 2026. August came in at 3.2% (final), with energy at 14.3%. Insee’s provisional estimate for France, published September 30, puts September HICP at 3.4% against 2.6% in August. The final September figures follow on October 16.
03 US CPI for September: October 14, 2026. Dated Brent ranged from $96.02 on September 1 to $130.80 on September 15 before standing at $113.96 on September 29; the energy component of the CPI ran 16.3% above its year-ago level in August. Core CPI (2.4% in August) and shelter (3.0% over the year) give the measure of the persistent component.
04 FOMC: October 27–28, 2026. The first meeting since the September 16 increase to 3.75–4.00%, without a Summary of Economic Projections. The statement is released on October 28; the September statement described inflation as “elevated” and economic activity as “expanding at a solid pace”.
05 ECB: October 28–29, 2026, in Frankfurt. The decision and press conference fall on October 29, after the September increase to 2.50% on the deposit facility. The final September HICP (October 16) will be available to the Governing Council at that meeting.
06 Growth and wages: October 29–30, 2026. The BEA publishes the advance estimate of Q3 GDP and September Personal Income and Outlays, with the PCE price index (3.4% headline, 3.0% core in August), on October 29. Eurostat publishes the preliminary flash estimate of euro area Q3 GDP and September unemployment on October 30, and the BLS the Q3 Employment Cost Index the same day.

Net liquidity: Fed balance sheet, TGA, reverse repo

Net liquidity equals total Federal Reserve assets (WALCL) minus the Treasury General Account (TGA) balance and reverse repo operations (RRP). As of September 23, 2026, total assets come in at $6,748B, the TGA at $977B and the RRP near zero ($0.5B), for net liquidity of about $5,770B, down roughly $9B from August 26. The balance sheet grew by about $17B over the period while the Treasury account rose by about $26B. The RRP rose above $11B on September 29 and 30, at quarter-end ($11.5B on September 30). Data: FRED (WALCL, WTREGEN, RRPONTSYD).

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Sources: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, U.S. Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank of New York (RRPONTSYD), via FRED

Method, sources and revisions

Prepared by Eco3min Research, the editorial desk of eco3min.fr. Values on this page are retrieved from the institutions that publish them (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED, U.S. Treasury, BLS, BEA, Federal Reserve Board, ECB, Eurostat, Insee, Chicago Fed, Richmond Fed, Dallas Fed, EIA, World Bank, Kenneth R. French Data Library) during the production of each edition, and are shown with their series code and date. The production rule excludes estimates and figures carried over from memory: a release not yet published is labelled as such. Since October 1, 2026, the barometer publishes no data distributed under licence: equity markets are covered by the market returns of the Kenneth R. French Data Library, credit by Moody’s Baa spread over the 10-year Treasury, and gold by the World Bank monthly average.

Schedule: a full edition with data as of the first day of each month; the dashboard and the “Since” section are updated after the main releases of the month (jobs report, CPI, central bank decisions). The macro regime card follows the published classification methodology. Previous editions are archived unchanged, with links at the bottom of this page.

  • October 10, 2026: first update of the month. Short answer, dashboard, cycle signals and the “Since October 1” section updated with August euro area unemployment (Eurostat, October 1), the September jobs report (BLS, October 2) and the September euro area HICP flash estimate (Eurostat, October 2); market readings to October 8 and 9. The monthly detail stays dated October 1.
  • October 1, 2026: October edition published, data as of October 1, 2026. Equity index levels replaced by Kenneth R. French market returns, the high-yield spread by the Baa spread (BAA10Y), gold by the World Bank monthly average; chart source lines completed with the attribution of each series.
  • September 25, 2026: page reorganised in two layers, with the short answer, the dashboard and the “Since” section at the top, updated during the month.

This barometer is published monthly by eco3min.fr. It compiles data from public institutional sources (FRED, U.S. Treasury, BLS, BEA, Fed, ECB, Eurostat, Insee, Chicago Fed, Richmond Fed, Dallas Fed, EIA, World Bank, Kenneth R. French Data Library). The cycle and financial-conditions indicators are presented with their documented definitions and historical thresholds, with no predictive interpretation.

Disclaimer. The data, charts and indicators presented on this page are provided for strictly informational and educational purposes. They are drawn from public data (FRED, BLS, BEA, ECB, Eurostat, Chicago Fed, Richmond Fed) and may be subject to delays, revisions or errors. They do not constitute investment advice, personalised recommendations, a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument, or a predictive analysis of the economic cycle. eco3min.fr is not an authorised financial institution and does not provide investment advisory services within the meaning of applicable regulations (MiFID II; Articles L.541-1 et seq. of the French Monetary and Financial Code). Any investment decision is the sole responsibility of the investor, who is encouraged to consult an authorised professional. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The market values cited are indicative and may differ from real-time prices.

Previous editions

May 2026 Archive

June 2026 Archive

July 2026 Archive

August 2026 Archive

September 2026 Archive

Last updated — 10 October 2026