Robert Hughes

Senior Research Faculty

Robert Hughes joined AIER in 2013 following more than 25 years in economic and financial markets research on Wall Street. Bob was formerly the head of Global Equity Strategy for Brown Brothers Harriman, where he developed equity investment strategy combining top-down macro analysis with bottom-up fundamentals. Prior to BBH, Bob was a Senior Equity Strategist for State Street Global Markets, Senior Economic Strategist with Prudential Equity Group and Senior Economist and Financial Markets Analyst for Citicorp Investment Services. Bob has a MA in economics from Fordham University and a BS in business from Lehigh University.

Articles

2/11/21

Labor Market Struggles Continue

“Initial claims fell slightly but continuing claims jumped sharply. Along with the disappointing jobs report, recent data suggest the labor market remains weak.” – Robert Hughes

2/10/21

Crude Oil Surge Drives Everyday Prices Higher in January

“AIER’s Everyday Price Index jumped 0.8 percent in January, pushed higher primarily by gasoline following the recent surge in crude oil prices.” – Robert Hughes

2/10/21

AIER Business Cycle Indicators Were Little Changed in January

“AIER’s Business Cycle Conditions indexes were little changed in January, holding solidly above the neutral threshold of 50, suggesting continued economic expansion ahead.” – Robert Hughes

2/9/21

Job Openings Increase in December, But Labor Questions Remain

“Job openings rose in December, but overall labor market data remain mixed, suggesting the outlook is cautiously optimistic but still highly uncertain.” – Robert Hughes

2/9/21

Small-Business Survey Weakens Again in January

“Small-business confidence posted a third consecutive decline in January, suggesting a growing concern about the economic outlook.” – Robert Hughes

2/5/21

Jobs Report Boosts Labor Market Concerns

“Payrolls posted a weak gain in January, raising significant doubts about the strength of the economic recovery.” – Robert Hughes

2/4/21

Initial Claims for Unemployment Benefits Fell, But Remain Very High

“Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell for a third straight week but government restrictions on consumers and businesses continue to threaten the recovery.” – Robert Hughes

2/3/21

Light-Vehicle Sales Increased in January

“Light-vehicle sales rose again in January but remain at the lower end of the historical range.” – Robert Hughes

1/29/21

Small Decline in Consumer Sentiment Masks Big Partisan Divide

“Consumer sentiment fell in January, leaving indexes below pre-pandemic levels but above prior lows. Virus mutations and partisan rancor remain risks to the outlook.” – Robert Hughes

1/28/21

New Single-Family Home Sales Rose in December

“The single-family housing market remains a bright spot for the economy, supported by low interest rates and strong demand.” – Robert Hughes

Research Publications