Some economists say the recession that started in December 2007 (according to the National Bureau of Economic Research) ended in summer 2009, but the bureau hasn't given its official word yet, so we're left to play the guessing game. A couple of Indianapolis Star reporters talk to some experts and guess that the worst of the recession might be over in Indiana, with "a slow, gradual recovery, fueled by rising consumer confidence, bigger industrial payrolls and more factory output."
Among the signs that the tide is turning:
Indiana tax collections are increasing.
Hiring has picked up modestly, with Indiana leading the nation in job creation.
A new report predicts manufacturing payrolls, the backbone of Indiana's economy, will surge next year.
Hope so. We sort of will ourselves into a recession by losing confidence and buying less stuff, then talk ourselves out of it by deciding we should be more confident and buying more stuff. So go buy something already.
