The Wisconsin Bankers Association’s (WBA) latest biannual Economic Conditions Survey of Wisconsin bank CEOs indicates a brighter outlook compared to previous surveys, with increasing numbers of bank CEOs expecting loan growth in the coming six months.
Key findings include:
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83% of respondents rated Wisconsin’s current economic health as “excellent” or “good”;
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29% of respondents expect the economy to grow over the next six months compared to only 8% the last time the survey was conducted in mid-year 2024; and
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58% expect the economy to stay about the same over the next six months compared to 70% in the prior survey.
Among the economic bright spots cited by bank CEOs in the recent survey were stable employment and consumer spending along with industry strength in sectors such as manufacturing, tourism, technology, and residential construction. Looking ahead to the first half of 2025, however, bank CEOs reported continued concerns over inflation, interest rates, a high cost of living, and staffing challenges. Survey respondents also noted that the impacts of the recent November 2024 election remain to be seen.
The end-of-year 2024 survey was conducted Nov. 19–Dec. 6 with 59 respondents. Click here for full survey results and graphics.
