Alabama business prospects looking good for the future
Small businesses expecting growth By Kelvin Reynolds | April 19, 2021 at 9:21 PM CDT - Updated April 19 at 9:21 PM
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Analysts with the University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research surveyed people who feel very strongly about the future of Alabama’s business going into the next financial quarter.
They surveyed business leaders at the local and state level and were given feedback that now appears in Alabama’s Business Confidence Index.
It uses a scale that ranges from very good to not good. This scale gives business leaders a perspective on what the next economic quarter could look like.
State business leaders bullish on growth, survey shows
Updated 10:35 AM;
Alabama’s business leaders are more optimistic about the state’s economy than at any time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with several planning to increase hiring.
An index of more than 50 indicates a positive forecast compared to the previous quarter, and the higher the number, the more confident the forecast.
The index combines statewide and national forecasts, sales, profits, hiring and capital expenditures.
Susannah Robichaux, a socioeconomic analyst for the center, said the outlook suggests Alabama’s business leaders are “shaking off the pandemic.”
“When there is a higher ABCI, it signals that business leaders are feeling optimistic about the coming quarter, which is absolutely informing their own decisions about their businesses,” Robichaux said.
Report: Montgomery has highest business confidence rating in the state
Report: Montgomery has highest business confidence rating in the state By WSFA Staff | March 2, 2021 at 9:41 PM CST - Updated March 2 at 10:23 PM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Montgomery is leading the state in a business confidence rating.
The Alabama Business Confidence Index has Montgomery topping all other cities in the state in the first quarter of 2021.
The index comes from the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research.
Montgomery outperformed the other cities with a score of 58.6 for 2021′s first quarter. According to the report, this index is 2.9 points below the metro’s fourth quarter in 2020 and “indicates expectations for a continuation of economic growth.”
Alabama News
Business leaders in Montgomery are Alabama’s most optimistic for growth and success.
According to the Alabama Business Confidence Index (ABCI), a quarterly survey conducted by economists at The University of Alabama’s Center for Business Economics and Research, business leaders in all five of state’s largest metro areas feel hopeful about economic growth in the first quarter of 2021.
Montgomery garnered the highest metro ABCI, which was driven by very strong confidence among job creators in expectations for increased sales and profits in the coming months.
“This report is encouraging, and it shows we are cultivating a climate where businesses not only survive but thrive, even amid a global pandemic,” Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed said. “My administration is committed to continuing our work by building out a more equitable and inclusive support system that encourages participation by minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.”
What will Alabama’s economy look like in 2021?
Updated Dec 30, 2020;
In late November, a new entertainment venue opened in the Gadsden Mall after almost a year of construction and months of uncertainty.
“The Alley” took shape inside an old Sears location, fashioning a bowling alley amid a lavish decor that simulates an urban streetscape.
Neon bowling balls hit the pins underneath big screen TVs, while a simulated “food truck” restaurant offers street tacos and barbecue next to a bar. Elsewhere, virtual reality games and old-style video games offer prizes, and visitors can toss footballs at bowling pins. Small children can roll down a “hill” near play equipment in the shade of artificial cherry trees.