Augusta University to present annual economic forecast

Augusta University Cree-Walker Chair and Professor of Economics Simon Medcalfe will share his analysis of Augusta’s economy and predictions for the coming year during the university’s annual economic forecast.

The annual forecast is hosted by the James M. Hull College of Business. For the first time in the program’s history, the event will be hosted virtually and released on YouTube.

Medcalfe is the author of the Augusta Leading Economic Index (Augusta LEI), a monthly composite index that combines national, regional and local indicators into a single variable. He has also published several academic articles on the economics of sports, health and religion, as well as economic and financial literacy.

“We have been doing an economic forecast breakfast since 2008. Usually, it is an in-person event on the Summerville Campus, but this year will have to be different because of COVID-19,” Medcalfe said.

Beginning Feb. 22, a video will be posted daily on the university’s YouTube channel. The four video segments will cover area unemployment, local employment, the state of Georgia and the forecast.

“2019 saw historically high economic numbers, and in my presentation last year, I predicted more record numbers for 2020. We certainly saw some, and they weren’t all bad,” Medcalfe said.

Questions about the economic forecast may be submitted through email. Medcalfe’s responses will be posted following the economic forecast on the Augusta University YouTube channel.