The Watch
The numbers we keep an eye on.
A short list of indicators that actually change how a household should plan — refreshed weekly, each one cited to its primary source. Where we have the history to show it, the trend is a click away.
Last refreshed September 7, 2026
Tech layoffs across major companies cited AI as factor
As of August 31, 2026 · The Economic Times · See the trend →
U.S. average gas price as Iran war escalates
As of September 7, 2026 · ABC News · See the trend →
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, 12 months ending July 2026
As of July 31, 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · See the trend →
Total public debt of $40.11T at the 3.447% average rate Treasury pays. Higher rates added ~$38B a year since 2025.
As of September 1, 2026 · U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data · See the trend →
127 unique FEMA weather-related disaster declarations from January 1, 2026 through September 7, 2026, versus 103 during the same dates in 2025
As of September 7, 2026 · OpenFEMA · See the trend →
Most of these refresh themselves each week from the source that publishes them. The layoff tracker is the exception — no authoritative feed exists for announcements, so that one is maintained by hand.