Economic Conditions

Additional Economic Conditions Industry Trends & Insights

Tariff challenges: 7 capital strategies to help protect margins and momentum

Tariffs can change the cost structure of a business almost overnight. For middle market companies — large enough to rely on global supply chains yet lean enough that every margin point matters — sudden duties on critical inputs can squeeze cash flow, unsettle supplier relationships, and cloud long-term planning.

Capital strategies in 2025: How middle market companies secure, spend, and save

Nearly half of middle market companies are actively pursuing capital to fund new initiatives, according to KeyBank’s latest Middle Market Sentiment survey. But how are leaders accessing capital, what are they spending it on, and where are they saving?

Middle Market Sentiment Report: July 2025

Tariffs shifting, rates rising, AI exploding — yet 200,000 companies generating a third of U.S. GDP keep charting paths to growth. Our new Middle Market Sentiment Report distills in-depth survey responses from 762 owners and executives of businesses with $10 million to $1 billion in annual revenue into a clear snapshot of 2025 priorities: where they’ll spend, where they’ll save, and how they’ll guard against risk.

Pension Plan Sponsors: It May Be Time for a Checkup

Pension plan sponsors have had a lot to deal with these past two years and continue to monitor their plans’ funded status. During 2022, plans saw a substantial decline in asset values, which were somewhat offset by the impact of significant increases in discount rates.

Economic Outlook - 1H 2025

Each quarter, KeyBank’s Director of Applied Economics and Analytics Ben Demko breaks down recent data focused on macroeconomic, industry, and market risks for stress testing, loss estimation, asset management, resource allocation, and profit planning. The results are used in our Economic Outlook newsletter.

Middle market companies split in view on tariffs, KeyBank survey shows

Crain’s Cleveland Business explores a new survey by KeyBank highlighting middle market companies’ ambivalence with tariffs and the ongoing challenges posed by an uncertain economic landscape. The bank’s Middle Market Sentiment Pulse Survey shows a near-perfect split in companies that see the “upside” in tariffs (49%) versus those that don’t (51%).

Tariff challenges: Supply-chain scenarios that help keep goods moving and costs in check

Given the current roller coaster of tariff policy uncertainty, middle market companies are looking for strategies that don’t just avoid business disruptions — but help them find opportunities for growth. Take a detailed look at how businesses can future-proof their supply chain.

How office-to-multifamily conversions help solve the affordable housing crisis

The nation’s severe housing crisis has sent nearly every multifamily real estate developer on a journey to find creative solutions for increasing affordable housing inventory. As the entire real estate industry thinks outside the box, office building conversions have emerged as one of the most logical ways to create more affordable housing supply in the most impactful locations. But logical doesn’t mean simple — or inexpensive.