The Center for Business Research and Economic Development (CBRED) at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith expects to release its first quarterly report on the Fort Smith regional economy by the end of May, according to center director Dr. Kermit W. Kuehn.

Kuehn indicated that the Fort Smith Regional Economic Outlook Report will be a 13-page report that will summarize economic activity for the first quarter, discuss the results of the March consumer confidence survey of the Fort Smith area consumer, and then examine employment trends in the five-county Fort Smith Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

“We are really excited about this first issue of the quarterly report,” Kuehn said. “We think it will be a great addition to the information flow available to community leaders involved in economic development and to the future direction of our region.”

The report will feature the results from the first survey of regional consumer attitudes on various economic issues ranging from personal finances to the national economy. Kuehn said the survey was modeled after the well-respected University of Michigan survey of consumer sentiment, which is reported each month in the national media.

The index represents consumer optimism or confidence levels for any given period and can be used to observe shifts over time in consumer attitudes and thus, their future buying behavior.

Dr. Steve Williams, dean of the College of Business where CBRED is located, concurs.

“With consumers comprising over two-thirds of the economic activity in our economy,” said Williams, “their attitudes are important to future economic activity in our region.”

Kuehn stated that each quarterly publication will contain a review of the economy for the quarter as well as the consumer confidence results. The third section is envisioned to focus each quarter on a special topic or theme relevant to the local economy.

Kuehn said this issue includes a review of employment trends from 1990 until today and then summarizes expected job trends by sector going forward. The section concludes with a discussion of the trend toward longer job loss and recovery periods in recent recessionary cycles.

Williams indicated that he believes the center will serve an increasingly valuable role in the community as a source for useful information.

“Decision makers are inundated with data, but not necessarily useful information,” said Williams. “The goal of CBRED is to turn data into useful information.”

CBRED, as an outreach and support unit of the College of Business at UA Fort Smith, provides information to help regional stakeholders better understand and respond to the factors that affect the health and prosperity of the Fort Smith region. The Fort Smith Regional Economic Outlook Report is a quarterly publication available to subscribers.  The annual subscription is $200.

For more information on the center, go to www.cob.uafortsmith.edu/cbred, call 479-788-7938 or email CBRED@uafortsmith.edu.