Arkansas Economic Development Institute

05/03/2022

Don't forget to sign up for the FEMA Disaster Preparedness training starting This Thursday May 5th!

04/08/2022

Join us for upcoming in-person trainings on economic and disaster housing recovery. Are available for registration below:

May 5, PER-385
https://ncdpcourses.inquisiqlms.com/catalog/Default.aspx?id=1163&type=course&searchParam=PER385ILAR

June 2, MGT-471
https://ncdpcourses.inquisiqlms.com/catalog/Default.aspx?id=1164&type=course&searchParam=MGT471ILAR

July 7, MGT-472
https://ncdpcourses.inquisiqlms.com/catalog/Default.aspx?id=1165&type=course&searchParam=MGT472ILAR

10/25/2021

State jobless rate decreases to 4%,the point for which economist consider to be full employment describing an economy with a gross domestic product at its peak potential and virtually all who are able and willing to work have jobs.

Arkansas appears to be returning to full-employment status with Friday's report that the statewide unemployment rate dipped to 4%, the lowest since the pandemic began ripping apart the global economy in March 2020.

10/11/2021

Two more COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Workshops this week. Session 5 on tools of the trade this Tuesday, Oct 12th at 9:30 AM and session 6 on building post pandemic work models this Thursday, Oct 14th.

10/06/2021

Join us for the next session of the COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Virtual Workshop Series on Crisis Communication tomorrow at 10:30am - 12:00am CST.
Register at astate.edu/DCED/Recover

09/22/2021

Our first COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency webinar was a success! recordings with closed captions will be posted to https://covidrecovery.youraedi.com soon.
Join us for the next two webinars on the 28th (Navigating State and Federal Resources) and on the 30th (Impacts on Rural Health)!

Register here https://www.astate.edu/DCED/Recover

09/20/2021

State sees its jobless rate slide once again. Unemployment in Arkansas dipped again in August, from 4.3% in July to 4.2% in August. The state's labor force, which has been decreasing and creating hiring challenges for employers, rose in August by 1,651, a result of 3,412 more employed and 1,761 fewer unemployed Arkansans. The labor force increase was the first improvement since April.

Unemployment in Arkansas dipped one-tenth of a percentage point in August, sliding down from 4.3% in July to 4.2% last month, according to state figures released Friday.

09/13/2021

After being stuck at 4.4% for the past four months, Arkansas’ unemployment rate dipped to 4.3% in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Despite the decline in the overall unemployment rate, Arkansas’ civilian workforce decreased by 2,542 workers.

See the full article here.

The unemployment rate in Arkansas fell to 4.3%. The state has seen an increase in manufacturing and banking jobs. Wages are also showing growth.

09/13/2021

Now is not the best time to buy a car with the country facing a vehicle shortage due to the pandemic: despite that, a local economist said that there are still options out there.

Dr. Michael Pakko said if you're in the market for something very specific, then you may want to wait.
See the full article here.

Now may not be the best the time to buy a car. The country is facing a vehicle shortage that some experts are saying could last all the way until 2023.

09/09/2021

Arkansas State University’s Delta Center For Economic Development, the Arkansas Economic Development Institute, and the Association of Arkansas Development Organizations (AADO) will begin an eight-part COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency webinar series on September 14th.

To learn about this and register, visit https://www.astate.edu/dced/recover.

Everything you need to help you understand how to apply, register and get involved on campus can be found on our website.

09/09/2021

If your grocery bill seems higher lately, you’re not imagining things. Economists say the rate of inflation on groceries is five percent. That’s higher than it’s been in 13 years.

Chief Economist Michael Pakko with the Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock said this is the most rapid rate of price increases we’ve seen in many years and most of it goes back to the pandemic’s effect on supply and demand.

See the full article here.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — If your grocery bill seems higher lately, you’re not imagining things. Economists say the rate of inflation on groceries is five percent. That’s higher than it…

09/09/2021

Fayetteville races ahead of Fort Smith in population, moving on to become the second-largest city in the state and bumping Fort Smith down to number three.

The industry in the Fayetteville area also leads to its growth in population. Giants like Tyson, Walmart and J.B. Hunt feed the community's population, said Michael Pakko, the chief economist at the Arkansas Economic Development Institute.

See the full article from the SW Times Record here.

Fort Smith dropped from the second-largest city in the state to the third-largest.