Economic Indicators:
An Update for the 7 Rivers Region

Optimism:
I'm delighted to report that over the break we
learned that our campus has produced so
many graduates currently working as Peace
Corps volunteers that we are among the Top
25 medium-sized schools in the nation.
-Joe Gow
he Economist:
Oh no. They couldn’t find
jobs.

Unemployment claims over last 6
months
178,869
64,327
Wisconsi
123,211
n
Minnesota 38,450

Postwar Recessions (1946-2008)
0
1957
Cumulative Decline in Employment from Peak
-1
1948
2007
-2 1953
-3
-4
-5
-6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Months from Peak Employment

Postwar Recessions (1946-2008)
0
Cumulative Decline in Employment from Peak
-1
1990
2001
-2
-3
2007
-4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Months From Peak Employment

Recession…
It’s no longer the banks

TED Spread
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
-
Jan-94 Jan-96 Jan-98 Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08

Wealth
Consumption

Equity Indices
180.0
160.0
140.0
120.0 7 Rivers
100.0
80.0
DJIA
60.0
S&P 500
40.0
20.0
0.0
Dec-99 Jun-01 Jan-03 Jul-04 Jan-06 Jul-07 Jan-09

Index of Home Prices
240.0
220.0
Phoenix
200.0
180.0
Minneapolis
160.0
140.0
7 Rivers Region
120.0
100.0
80.0
Jan-98 Jan-00 Jan-02 Jan-04 Jan-06 Jan-08

Falling Confidence
Falling Consumption

Consumer Expectations Index
110
100
90
80
70
60
7 Rivers
50 National
40
April 2002 April 2003 April 2004 March 2006 April 2007*** August February
2008*** 2009***

In Recessions…
Preferences Change

TIME
Vs.
MONEY

In Recessions…
People Get Healthier

In Recessions…
Preferences Change – Temporarily

ars accumulate at the ports

U.S. Vehicle Sales
18.0
16.0
14.0
12.0
Millions of Vehicles
10.0
Imports
8.0
6.0
Domestic
4.0
2.0
0.0
Feb. '08 Jun. '08 Oct. '08 Feb. '09

In Recessions…
Preferences Change – Permanently.

The Lost Decade

In Recessions…
There are opportunities.

Total U.S. Light Vehicle Retail Sales (SAAR, Mil. Units)
100%
90%
Imports
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
Domestic
30%
20%
10%
0%
Feb. '08 Jun. '08 Oct. '08 Feb. '09

Gasoline Prices (C/gal)
450.0
400.0
350.0
300.0
250.0
200.0
150.0
100.0
50.0
0.0
Jan-95 Jan-97 Jan-99 Jan-01 Jan-03 Jan-05 Jan-07 Jan-09

The Stimulus…
Obama’s Wager

Nick Lichter
Executive Director of Organic Logistics at
Organic Valley.

Jeneen Ablan
Marketing Director at Shared Health Services.

Adam Etrheim
Founder of eContractorBids.com.

Economic Indicators:
An Update for the 7 Rivers Region