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County's economic indicators rise again

San Diego Union-Tribune-- Despite continuing high unemployment and a sharp decline in home building, the outlook for San Diego County's economy continued to show signs of improvement last month, according to an index of leading economic indicators released yesterday.

It was the fifth consecutive month that the index — maintained by the Burnham Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego — moved upward, after a three-year decline.

“We haven't hit bottom, but the negatives are not quite as negative as they have been and the positive signs are getting stronger,” USD economist Alan Gin said.

Gin said the key question is what will happen as the county heads into fall and winter, which typically experience slower growth than other seasons.

“Back-to-school sales have already been classified as weak, and not much improvement is expected in the holiday buying season,” Gin said, adding that “it looks like a bottom is more likely in the first half of 2010 than in the latter part of 2009.” (Full Story)