BOONE -- Economic activity in Western North Carolina rose by 1 percentage point in December, representing the third consecutive quarter of improvement.
The index of 25 counties includes Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes.
"It appears we are turning a corner," said Todd Cherry, a co-author of the report and director of the Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis at Appalachian State University.
"We haven't ended a year with three consecutive months of regional growth in about two years. There is a long way to go yet, but the first step is beginning to see consistency in positive news about regional activity."
However, seasonally adjusted employment for Western North Carolina decreased 0.4 percent in December. The region lost nearly 4,700 jobs during the fourth quarter, according to the index.
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