The July 2026 issue of the ITR Advisor, prepared each month by ITR Economics for OPEESA, is available to members on the ITR Economic Outlook page. Here’s our read on what it means for outdoor power equipment dealers, distributors and manufacturers.

The big picture

ITR sees an economy in a period of restrained growth: still expanding, but held back by high borrowing costs, the cumulative effect of inflation and global uncertainty. Business-to-business spending is rising as confidence recovers, and consumers are still spending, supported by stable employment and manageable debt levels.

What it means for OPE businesses

  • Pricing decisions get harder. Producer prices are well above last year’s, driven largely by oil. ITR stresses watching customer price sensitivity closely when setting prices for the rest of the year.
  • An uneven consumer. Higher-income households are carrying much of the spending while weak real incomes weigh on everyone else, a pattern that favors premium equipment over entry-level discretionary purchases.
  • Housing could turn. Single-family starts are in a downturn, but improving permit trends suggest a recovery may not be far off, which would eventually support demand from new homeowners.
  • Public and commercial work looks solid. ITR raised its nonresidential construction outlook for 2027, with public infrastructure, water and sewer projects among the bright spots. That’s encouraging for municipal and commercial grounds-care demand.

Also in this issue

Jenna Allen’s feature looks at AI, data centers and the electricity problem: how surging power demand and long lead times for transformers and other electrical equipment are adding to energy and infrastructure costs. The issue also includes industry snapshots, a leading-indicator outlook into early 2027 and an investor update.

Read the full issue

Members can sign in to read the full July 2026 issue, plus every past month, on the ITR Economic Outlook page. Not a member yet? Request membership information.

Follow how the outlook changes from month to month on OPEESA’s Outdoor Power Equipment Industry Outlook page.