But observers watch signals in hot markets and actions in city halls and state legislatures.

The third quarter brought a flurry of natural disasters, including category 4 and 5 hurricanes whose economic impacts will take years to unfold, with Harvey primarily in Texas, Irma in Florida, and Maria in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

This year marks the eighth year of a recovery from the deep industry recession that was sparked by the financial collapse of September 2008, the third-longest industry recovery on record.

Passing the baton to future leaders means creating a methodical approach to identifying, developing and cultivating talent