North Carolina State University Economics Professor emeritus Mike Walden (Photo Credit: Anthony DeHart WPTF/Curtis Media)
Anthony DeHart
North Carolina State University economics professor emeritus Dr. Mike Walden was this week’s guest on “Carolina Newsmakers” with Don Curtis, where he discussed the current outlook for the nation’s and North Carolina’s economy.
Walden says we’ve skirted a recession and that North Carolina’s economy has grown faster than the national average.
“We have added 7% to our job numbers from February 2020 to December 2023,” Walden said. “That is more than twice the increase at the national level. So North Carolina’s economy is still humming.”
This growth is not limited to the state’s urban areas. Walden notes that North Carolina’s rural areas are also making strides.
“We’ve seen some faster growth recently in the last couple of years in rural areas,” he said.
A significant question, according to Walden, is when the Federal Reserve will begin lowering interest rates, which he predicts will likely not happen until close to the middle of 2024.
Listen to the latest episodes of “Carolina Newsmakers” with Don Curtis here.