Allen Sinai

  • President and Chief Global Economist, Decision Economics, Inc.

Dr. Allen Sinai is Chief Global Economist and President of Decision Economics, Inc. (DE), a U.S. and Global economic and financial markets information, forecasting and advisory firm located in New York and Boston. He is a renowned global economist and forecaster, a business cycle and financial markets analyst and researcher, an educator, businessperson and investor whose work has impacted firms, individuals, and policymakers in Washington and elsewhere for over four decades.

Allen Sinai is known for his forecast accuracy and pioneering use of a National Economic and Financial Information Systems (NEIFA) approach to forecasting “Big Wave” trends in world economies and financial markets. He brings to his work a unique blend of scientific macroeconometric model-based academic research, an understanding of the structure and workings of the U.S. and Global economies and financial markets, extensive hands-on experience working for financial institutions and in financial markets, involvement in Washington and other centers of policymaking, and a long-time career in business and investments.   Over many years, independent and nonpartisan, he has advised policymakers in Washington, Japan and globally, the U.S. Congress, and both Republican and Democratic Administrations on the economy, policy, the financial markets, and bottom-line strategy.

 

 

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Past Hosts Include:
  • State Street
Rave Reviews About Allen Sinai as a Speaker
Your willingness to accept our invitation to speak at State Street's client conference last month transformed a crisis into a star attraction. ... Your commentary was insightful and thought provoking, and helped to make the conference a most memorable event.

Talks & Conversations with Allen Sinai

21st Century Business: Economic Decision Making in a Changing World

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Biography

Dr. Allen Sinai is Chief Global Economist and President of Decision Economics, Inc. (DE), a U.S. and Global economic and financial markets information, forecasting and advisory firm located in New York and Boston. He is a renowned global economist and forecaster, a business cycle and financial markets analyst and researcher, an educator, businessperson and investor whose work has impacted firms, individuals, and policymakers in Washington and elsewhere for over four decades.

Allen Sinai is known for his forecast accuracy and pioneering use of a National Economic and Financial Information Systems (NEIFA) approach to forecasting “Big Wave” trends in world economies and financial markets. He brings to his work a unique blend of scientific macroeconometric model-based academic research, an understanding of the structure and workings of the U.S. and Global economies and financial markets, extensive hands-on experience working for financial institutions and in financial markets, involvement in Washington and other centers of policymaking, and a long-time career in business and investments.   Over many years, independent and nonpartisan, he has advised policymakers in Washington, Japan and globally, the U.S. Congress, and both Republican and Democratic Administrations on the economy, policy, the financial markets, and bottom-line strategy.

Among his forecasts was advance warning and forecasting of “The Great Recession and Financial Crises of 2006-09” and the “L”-like anemic and unprecedented lackluster expansion against a widely expected “V” rebound. The collapse of the U.S. economy and financial markets in 2007-08 was forecast well in- advance by Dr. Sinai, documented by third party records. The subsequent Equity Bull Market that began in March 2009, still ongoing as forecasted by Dr. Sinai to be the longest on record, was seen in late 2008 and early 2009, and called the day of its start by him on March 10, 2009. In the early 1980s, Allen correctly forecasted the coming Reagan economic boom and later the Stock Market Crash of October 1987, where on the Friday before the Monday Crash, appearing on Louis Rukeyser’s Wall Street Week, Allen indicated an incipient collapse. In early 1992, he forecasted the coming 1990s economic boom and Great Equity Bull Market of that decade. He correctly forecasted the recessions of 1990-91 and 2000-01, the former even though the original published data did not so indicate. Dr. Sinai has correctly called all Equity Bull and Bear Markets since the 1970s.   He appears to be the most accurate forecaster in the history of economics.

In 1971, while a Professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Allen was hired by the pioneer econometric forecasting firm, Data Resources, Inc. (DRI) in Lexington, Mass., headed by Harvard Professor Otto Eckstein. He worked closely with Otto for over a decade, rising to Chief Financial Economist, a Co-builder and Co-author of the DRI Model of the U.S. Economy, and Co-Director of the DRI Financial Institutions Group (FIG). Hired by Lehman Brothers in 1983, Allen went to “Wall Street” where he became a Managing Director and Lehman’s Chief Global Economist (1983-96), working with all areas of the Firm in the U.S. and globally, also American Express, and its clients. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at The Boston Company (1987-93), an investment and private banking subsidiary of Shearson Lehman Brothers. For 22 years, 1992-2014, he served on the Board of Directors of Boston Private Financial Holdings (BPFH), a national private banking and wealth management firm. In 1996, along with Joe Kasputys, a Senior Executive at DRI and McGraw-Hill, and the President of Primark Corporation, Decision Economics, Inc. (DE) was cofounded.

In addition to achieving full Professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago (1966-75), Allen has taught at a number of universities and colleges, including Brandeis University (1988-96), the MIT Sloan School of Management (1989-91), New York University (1984-88), Boston University (1981-83), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1975-83), Lake Forest College (1964-65) and Northwestern University (1963-64). He has published nearly 60 articles in journals and books, testified before the U.S. Congress scores of times, and regularly writes commentaries and Special Studies for DE Clients. He is past President of the Eastern Economic Association (EEA) (1990), was President of the North American Economics and Financial Association (NAEFA) (2004), and a Member of the Board of Economists for Peace and Security (EPS).

Over the years he has given hundreds of Speeches and Lectures, frequently cited and appearing in the written and TV media, provided well over 50 Testimonies before the Congress, informed and advised policymakers in Washington and globally, the U.S. Congress and various Administrations, both Republican and Democratic, on the economy, policies, strategy, and financial markets.

Honors include selection as one of the ten “Smartest People” in Boston by Boston Magazine in 1992. As a Member of the Time Magazine Board of Economists, from 1991 to 2002, Time Magazine said of him, “Anyone who thinks economics is a dismal science has never been treated to the vivid commentaries of Allen Sinai.” And the Alfred Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

Allen obtained a B.A. Degree in Economics with Honors, also Pre-Med, from the University of Michigan (1961), then M.A. and Ph. D. Degrees in Economics from Northwestern University (1966 and 1969). His wife Lee is a U. of M. graduate (1963) and an author. They were married in June 1963.

The Sinai’s have two children and five grandchildren—their daughter Lauren is also a graduate of U. of M. and holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School. Son Todd is a Professor at the Wharton School, with a Ph.D. in Economics from M.I.T.. The Sinai’s reside in Lexington and Edgartown, Massachusetts, their daughter Lauren and her family live in Evanston, Illinois and Todd and his family are in Merion Station, just outside of Philadelphia.