Economic Forecasts and Projections: Fact Sheet

Economic projections (also called forecasts) are predictions about the future behavior of economic and financial indicators. They can help lawmakers in assessing the likelihood of key events such as recessions, addressing budget and economic challenges, and estimating the effects of policy changes. Many government agencies and private organizations produce forecasts for the U.S. economy. This fact sheet describes 10 selected sources that are available online: the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Social Security Administration (SSA), The Wall Street Journal, and the World Bank.