The Bid cover image

The Bid

Rebuilding The US Physical Economy

Jan 17, 2025
Jay Jacobs, the US head of Thematic and Active ETFs at BlackRock, dives into the critical theme of revitalizing the US physical economy. He discusses the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s massive funding aimed at upgrading aging infrastructure. Jay highlights the surge in reshoring manufacturing and the pressing housing supply gap. He emphasizes the bipartisan support these initiatives receive and sheds light on demographic trends impacting the housing market. Additionally, he explores the intertwined relationship between the digital and physical economies.
19:01

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act aims to address urgent infrastructure needs and is expected to significantly enhance economic productivity.
  • There is a substantial housing supply gap in the U.S., necessitating targeted investments and policy changes to create affordable housing options.

Deep dives

Revitalizing U.S. Infrastructure

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated approximately $1.2 trillion to improve the United States' infrastructure, addressing urgent needs highlighted by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which rated it as a C-. This rating points to the extensive challenges facing the nation's roads, bridges, and highways, many of which were constructed decades ago and have suffered from neglect. With around one in 13 bridges classified as structurally deficient, this legislation aims to accelerate rebuilding efforts to enhance safety and efficiency across transportation networks. Improved infrastructure is projected to significantly boost economic productivity by reducing traffic congestion and facilitating smoother movement of goods.

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