Montgomery businesses are feeling good about the months ahead. In fact, they’re feeling better than any time since before the recession, according to a new study.
A quarterly survey of business leaders by the University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research found that Montgomery executives are the most confident in the state right now. Their optimism level of 70.6 was the highest recorded in the history of the survey, which started in 2007. Any score higher than 50 means that executives expect growth over the next quarter.
They were the most confident in Alabama’s economy, the nation’s overall economy and sales growth within their industries.
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The statewide confidence score was 67, up 2.7 from last quarter’s survey. Tuscaloosa scored the second-highest at 68.2, followed by Birmingham-Hoover at 67.2.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed pledged to continue to empower businesses to grow here.
“If you have bold ideas and vision, then we want you in Montgomery,” Reed said in a statement. “We are empowering our entrepreneurs while boosting development and growth for all of our existing business sectors. This includes fostering a more equitable and inclusive support system that encourages participation by minority-owned and women-owned businesses.”
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brad Harper at bharper1@gannett.com.
