As a devoted numbers person I follow the predictions and newsletters of a couple economists. I recently attended a luncheon featuring a speech by Tom Potiosky – Oregon’s State Economist. In simple terms Tom is predicting that unemployment will hit 13% in Oregon and slightly higher in the metro area. After that peak jobs are expected to return to positive growth mid 2010 or in about a year from now.

A new forecast from Moody’s Economy.com pegs Oregon as being one of the first 5 states that will recover first. See the predictions for the entire USA.

It seems that there is a growing consensus that the start of our recovery is just around the corner. I definitely feel things picking up with my business and hope this trend continues for all Oregonians.