Looking ahead to the holidays

The Great Recession is over according to economists. That’s a good thing because the holiday season is gearing up and we sure want consumers to be in a buying mood, especially when it comes to decorating with flowers.

This recession “officially” lasted 18 months having started in December 2007. The National Bureau of Economic Research’s Business Cycle Dating Committee reported in September that business activity in the U.S. economy hit bottom in June 2009. It was the longest recession since World War II. Even though the economy hit bottom last June, the committee did not indicate that economic conditions have been favorable or that the economy has returned to operating normally. The 14 million unemployed Americans might beg to differ with the committee’s findings as to whether the recession is really over.

Dan Seiver, finance professor at San Diego State University, told USA Today that the announcement that the recession has ended is “going to irritate a lot of people.” He said even though the recession is considered over “doesn’t mean everything is good again…Unemployment tends to be a lagging indicator.”

Primed for sales

dkuack@gie.net