economy
US Farm Debt Is Headed for $605 Billion, and the Lender Map Is Incomplete
The USDA forecasts $605.1 billion of farm debt in 2026 while researchers investigate credit that may be missing from the official picture.
Author
Sarah Mitchell
U.S. Economy & Monetary Policy Specialist
Sarah Mitchell is an Economy and Monetary Policy Specialist at American Commerce Review, covering inflation, employment, interest rates, consumer spending, economic growth, and Federal Reserve policy.
Her reporting follows the major indicators shaping the American business environment, with particular attention to Federal Reserve decisions, Bureau of Labor Statistics data, GDP releases, Treasury markets, and changing financial conditions. Mitchell’s work aims to connect national economic statistics with their practical consequences for businesses, investors, and households.
Sarah's beat follows the chain from official data to business conditions. Federal Reserve decisions, inflation releases, payrolls and consumer spending are not treated as isolated calendar events; her work asks how they alter borrowing costs, demand, hiring plans and the valuation assumptions used across corporate America.
She pays particular attention to revisions, survey definitions and the difference between nominal and real measures. That matters when a single release appears to change the economic story. Her reporting is designed to show which part of the evidence actually moved, which part was revised and what would need to happen next for the trend to become durable.
Articles by Sarah Mitchell
economy
Will the Fed Raise Rates in September 2026? The August Jobs Report Changed the Odds
Will the Fed raise rates in September 2026? August payrolls rose 162,000 and unemployment held at 4.1%. Here is what changed before the September FOMC meeting.
ai
AI Jobs in the US: What the Labour Data Can and Cannot Tell Us
A guide to measuring AI-related employment in the US using BLS occupations, job demand and industry data without treating every software role as an AI job.
ai
Is AI Raising US Productivity Yet? The Data Businesses Should Watch
How to evaluate whether AI is lifting US productivity using BLS productivity data, BEA output and business investment rather than anecdotal time savings alone.
startups
US Business Applications Jumped 8.1% in July to 578,926
US business applications rose 8.1% in July 2026 to 578,926. Census projects 29,959 employer startups from the cohort within four quarters.
economy
US Corporate Profits Reached $4.83 Trillion in Q2 2026
US corporate profits from current production reached $4.827 trillion in Q2 2026, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
companies
Largest Employers in Florida: Where the Jobs Actually Are
A sourced guide to major Florida employers, with reported workforce figures, geographic scope and dates. Separates local jobs from corporate headquarters and global headcounts.
economy
US Growth Slowed to 1.5% in Q2, but Private Demand Was Stronger Than the Headline
US GDP grew at a 1.5% annual rate in Q2 2026, but consumer spending and business investment suggest domestic private demand remained resilient.
economy
July PCE Shows Income Rising Faster Than Spending as Inflation Stays Uncomfortable
US personal income rose 0.4% in July and spending increased 0.2%, while PCE inflation was 3.7% year on year and the saving rate remained low at 3.0%.
economy
US Retail Sales Fell 0.6% in July, but the Annual Spending Picture Remains Firm
US retail and food-service sales fell 0.6% in July 2026 but were 5.0% higher than a year earlier, showing a consumer market that remains active but uneven.
economy
US Payrolls Fell in July as the Labor Market Lost More Momentum
US payroll employment fell by 23,000 in July 2026, unemployment held near 4.1%, and May and June job gains were revised sharply lower.
economy
US Job Openings Held at 7.4 Million in June as Hiring Stayed Subdued
US job openings were little changed at 7.4 million in June 2026, while hires held at 5.3 million and quits remained at 3.2 million.
economy
Average US Salary by Industry: Which Sectors Pay the Most?
Average US salaries by industry using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, with a guide to the sectors that pay the most and why averages differ.
economy
US Retail Sales Rose Again in June, but the Consumer Is Becoming More Value-Conscious
US retail and food-service sales rose 0.2% in June 2026 to $768.6bn and were 6.7% higher than a year earlier.
economy
12 US States Where Small Business Employs the Largest Share of Workers
The states where small businesses employ the largest share of private-sector workers, using SBA Office of Advocacy data.
economy
10 US States With the Highest GDP per Person
The US states with the highest GDP per person, using Bureau of Economic Analysis state GDP and population data.
economy
10 US States With the Fastest Employment Growth
A look at the US states with the strongest employment growth, using Bureau of Labor Statistics payroll and labour-force data.
economy
Which 12 US States Have the Most Small Businesses?
The US states with the most small businesses, led by California, Texas and Florida, using SBA Office of Advocacy state profiles.
economy
The 10 Largest State Economies in the United States
The 10 largest state economies in the United States by real GDP, led by California, Texas, New York and Florida, using Bureau of Economic Analysis data.