News
New Forecast Shows Arkansas Economy in Better Shape Than Expected
Arkansas economist Michael Pakko says the state hasn’t been as hard-hit by the economic effects of COVID-19, and it’s so far escaped the worst of what other states have experienced. But figuring out why is a difficult task. It...
April Report Shows Impact Of COVID-19 On Arkansas Metro Areas
Arkansas’ three largest in-state metro regions combined for 52,930 job losses in April compared with April 2019. The Hot Springs metro posted an April jobless rate of 15.3%, the highest rate among the eight metro areas in or...
State Revenue Report For May Higher Than Predicted, Though Lower Than Last Year
Revenue in Arkansas exceeded predictions but fell below figures from a year ago, according to the latest revenue report from the state Department of Finance and Administration. According to the report released Tuesday, the state...
Businesses Operate With Limited Staff As Workers Stay Home Making More On Unemployment
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Arkansas businesses are working with limited staff while some people remain at home collecting more money through state and federal unemployment benefits. "With a limited staff, we're only open five days a...
State’s Jobless Rate Surges To 10.2%
Unemployment in Arkansas shot up to 10.2% in April, ballooning to double-digits for the first time in more than 35 years. The jobless rate doubled from 5% in March, state officials announced Friday. All 11 economic sectors suffered...
Bentonville Ranked 5th Fastest-growing U.S. City; Northwest Arkansas Cities Lead Growth In State
Bentonville added more than 10 people per day between 2018 and 2019 and was the fifth fastest-growing U.S. city with at least 50,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Northwest Arkansas cities continued to lead the...
Video: Economist Michael Pakko on COVID-19 and Arkansas’ Economy
On Wednesday, Arkansas Business spoke to Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, about the state of the Arkansas...
17% Unemployment Forecast For State
Unemployment in Arkansas is predicted to skyrocket to 17% this summer, climbing into double digits for the first time since the early 1980s, according to a statewide economic forecast. The state's joblessness rate, however, should...
Arkansas College Graduates Entering Into A Difficult Job Market Amid Pandemic
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Thousands of college students in Arkansas will be graduating in the coming weeks. Before the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses and schools to close, college graduates were expected to enter into a strong...
All Arkansas Metro Areas See Increases In The Number Of Unemployed In March
All metro areas in or connected to Arkansas posted jobless rate increases in March, with year-over-year increases in the number of unemployed ranging between 44% in Jonesboro to 4.8% in the Memphis-West Memphis area. The unemployed...