Indiana Business Review articles from December 2004

Indiana Business Review archives from December 2004

Outlook for 2005.(economic forecasting)
December 22, 2004... In October 2004, a group of economists gathered at the Kelley School of Business to discuss the economic outlook for the nation and the state. The discussion began with an analysis of the October forecast from the U.S. model developed at the...

The U.S. economy.(The Big Picture)
December 22, 2004... The U.S. economy during 2004 brings to mind Charlie Brown, Lucy, and the football. From experience, Charlie knows he should temper his enthusiasm. But the possibility of putting the ball through the uprights seems to be there, and he thinks...

For the record.(Brief Article)
December 22, 2004... The forces of nature (read weather) and man (read war, oil prices, and interest rates) make forecasting a challenge, to put it mildly. A particularly harsh winter, unstable oil prices, a devalued dollar, and lingering problems in Iraq can wreak...

The international economy.
December 22, 2004... World economic growth for 2004 is projected at 5 percent (measured in terms of real gross domestic product [GDP]), compared to growth rates of 2.1 percent in 2002 and 3 percent in 2003. The International Monetary Fund in Washington forecasts...

Financial forecast.(The Big Picture)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... As usual, the condition of U.S. financial markets is bipolar. The optimistic side is that the financial markets have been able to absorb tremendous shocks during the past three years: the trauma of 9/11; declining stock market returns from the...

Housing.(The Big Picture)
December 22, 2004... Because interest rates have remained at unexpectedly low levels during 2004, it appears that housing starts for 2004 will be slightly higher than we forecasted last year. Rates are expected to rise slightly during 2005 as the economic recovery...

Indiana.(The Big Picture)
December 22, 2004... As the nation's most manufacturing-intensive state, Indiana often feels the effects of economic downturns earlier than other states, and those effects tend to last longer. That was the case for the most recent recession and recovery period, but...

Anderson and Muncie.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... The last decade has not produced good economic results for Anderson and Muncie. Like most of Indiana, both of these regions failed to keep pace with national growth beginning in the mid-1990s and continuing through the most recent recession;...

Bloomington.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... In many ways, Bloomington is transitioning. The most obvious evidence of change is downtown. Like mushrooms after a spring rain, the new apartments lining downtown streets are changing the skyline and nature of downtown Bloomington. ...

Columbus.(Indiana Metro Areas)
December 22, 2004... Candidates for political office all promise more jobs and more prosperity. In the real world, individual politicians don't have much effect on the economy. Trends in economic activity typically take many years to develop, much longer than any...

Evansville.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... Our area has enjoyed economic stability over the last several years. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports Evansville per capita income at $29,116. This was 94 percent of the national per capita income for 2002. In 1969, per capita...

Fort Wayne.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... The economic downturn during the early portion of this decade hit the northeast Indiana employment base with a hammer. The Fort Wayne Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)--for purposes of this article, we will use the old definition of the MSA...

Gary.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... The northwest Indiana economy has not performed well over the past three years. Establishment employment (1) peaked in September 1999, a level that was maintained with little change until September 2001. Since September 2001, establishment...

Indianapolis.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... Recent performance of the Indianapolis economy (1) fell short of expectations, especially in terms of employment. During the twelve months before September 2004, total employment shrank 2.2 percent from 868,690 to 849,830. This sharply...

Kokomo.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... Kokomo's economy remains heavily weighted toward manufacturing. Employment in manufacturing industries peaked statewide in June 2000, and while recent losses have been much less than before (and some months have even posted gains), employment...

New Albany.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... During 2004, the economy of southern Indiana continues to sputter. Average employment in the Louisville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), and in southern Indiana in particular, continues to decrease for the fourth year in a row. Yet,...

Richmond.(Indiana Metro Areas)
December 22, 2004... The Richmond-Connersville-New Castle (RCNC) area economy is experiencing a slow recovery. A significant number of firms are operating below full capacity. The manufacturing sector has not fully returned to normal conditions. Some firms are...

South Bend/Mishawaka and Elkhart/Goshen.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... To help understand how we came to where we are today, Table 1 and Figure 1 provide data from 1994 to the middle of 2004 that chart the longer-term progress of the Michiana region, of which South Bend/Mishawaka and Elkhart/Goshen are a major...

Terre Haute.(Indiana Metro Areas)(economic indicators)
December 22, 2004... The economy of Terre Haute, long lagging that of the state of Indiana, may be ready for a rebound. On the strength of increased residential construction, education and health services employment, and political strength from the mayor's office,...