This is

the BSI and the world. I'm John Bachelor.

The first half of 2024 is complete.

The second quarter is in the books. We'll see what the numbers are in several weeks time.

Right now, the Federal Reserve Atlanta

reporting says the second quarter estimate is 2.2%, neither fair nor foul.

I welcome Jim McTague, longtime Washington editor for Barron's magazine,

now a novelist living in Lancaster County, the best county in the best state, the Keystone State.

And we begin with the measure of the first half of the year.

Jim, a very good evening, 2.2 is the estimate.

We'll see what those numbers turn out to be. You tell me the market was up 15%, the stock market.

How would you measure the first half of the year? Surprising, disappointing, unusually prosperous. Good evening. surprising,

unusually prosperous.

Good evening to you, Jim.

Good evening, John.

I'm surprised at how robust it was,

given the high interest rates.

The feds set out to strangle the economy to slow it down.

Interest rates are very high.

You can see that in the mortgage rates. I mean for the average person,

interest rates are high. They're squeezing businesses and yet the consumer was out there spending and powered it forward.

So yes, I was shocked.

...