We end 2025 in a grounded check-in on where the U.S. economy sits right now upon the release of ICA’s Q4 edition of CAR WASH Pulse.
In Episode 19 of Conversations with ICA, Eric Wulf and economist Alex Chausovsky break down ICA’s Q4 edition of CAR WASH Pulse: Alex provides insights on why the economy can be modestly positive in the data (retail activity, industrial production) while sentiment among consumers is “in the dumps” and CEOs are below neutral heading into 2026. The result is a K-shaped reality: some segments are thriving, while others are spending just enough to keep up.
The takeaway: the economy isn’t collapsing, but it is uneven—and that unevenness matters for how customers behave and how businesses invest. Alex’s advice is to stay data-driven, resist the headline whiplash, and make decisions based on what’s measurable, what’s changing in your customer base, and what you can control—because 2026 looks like ‘treading water’ for many, and outperforming will take discipline.
📺 Watch the full conversation below.
📘 Need more insights like these? Subscribe to ICA and stay ahead with every edition of CAR WASH Magazine and CAR WASH Pulse.
Conversations with ICA | 2025 season, episode 19