Q4 2011: Charting the Year in Puerto Rico
Nowadays, recovery is the most wanted outcome in the US and PR. Usually, signs of early growth show up in consumer spending, housing, and construction. This time around, these sectors have been the last to recover in the US. Instead, the US economy is showing signs of recovery on the production side. Manufacturing and business investment have led the way, driving down the unemployment rate. For some economists, that improvement may finally lead to improved consumer spending in the US. The relevant question for us is whether PR shows signs of a production side recovery or if trends in consumer spending, housing, and construction in the island speak of a consumer side recovery? HCCG’s indices for the 4thQ can provide some answers and chart the performance of CY 2011.