Tag: Mervin Jebaraj

UA economist sees options beyond tax cuts for investing budget surplus

The state’s $945.7 million budget surplus will offer lawmakers and Gov. Asa Hutchinson a chance to reduce the state’s income tax bracket, but it will present other opportunities for investments….

UA economist says inflation largely a post-pandemic return to normal

In recent months, consumers have been feeling the effects of rising prices, an inflationary movement concerning business leaders and politicians. Economist Mervin Jebaraj with the University of Arkansas Walton College…

Economist: Tax cuts will help low income; businesses must spend to overcome ‘reputational harm’

UA Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj said new tax cuts and those proposed for later this year could help in a variety of ways, especially for lower income Arkansans, and…

State of region report highlights Northwest Arkansas growth in 2019

A new report compares Northwest Arkansas to other prosperous metros in the United States, but the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying recession have impacted economic activity so far this year….

Economist: Tourism industry needs a bailout to maintain jobs, quality of life

University of Arkansas Walton College of Business economist Mervin Jebaraj contends the tourism and hospitality industry needs a greater and more targeted stimulus in order to survive, especially if Arkansas…

Economist grades state, national response to COVID-19

University of Arkansas economist Mervin Jebaraj gives the federal government a pretty good grade for its economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he says the state and nation are…

Economist: Stimulus checks, no stay-at-home order softened financial impact in Arkansas

UA Walton College of Business economist Mervin Jebaraj said initial signs of how Arkansas is faring from the COVID-19 pandemic indicate the state was not hit as hard as neighboring…

Economist: 2Q GDP will be much worse than 1Q; no college football will zap regional economy

Economist Mervin Jebaraj isn’t going to sugar-coat it: the second quarter for the American economy will be much worse than the first quarter. Jebaraj, economist with the University of Arkansas…

UA economist discusses trade deals, job growth

Despite breakthroughs on two international trade deals and low unemployment in Arkansas, economist Mervin Jebaraj doesn’t expect much to change with the Arkansas economy in 2020. Jebaraj, who appeared on…

UA economist says tariffs, less global coordination hurting efforts to avoid recession

University of Arkansas Walton College of Business economist Mervin Jebaraj said that the lack of global coordination among world leaders isn’t helping efforts to avoid a U.S. or worldwide recession….

UA economist discusses low unemployment, rising deficits and pay equity

Economist Mervin Jebaraj said that Arkansas’ record low unemployment rate is a positive, but he warned that it could still be revised like it has in previous instances. Jebaraj, director…

Economist Mervin Jebaraj on student debt, medical debt and the growing income imbalance

University of Arkansas economist Mervin Jebaraj has plenty to talk about these days, including debt impact on Arkansans and a growing separation of incomes that he believes threatens democracy. Appearing…

Economist: Data shows NWA accounts for 87% of state population growth this decade

University of Arkansas Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj says Census data shows that Northwest Arkansas population growth has accounted for about 87% of the state’s overall increase in this decade….

Economist: Yield curve inversion has been true, but new factors may complicate its accuracy

University of Arkansas’ Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj admits that the yield curve inversion has been an accurate predictor of past recessions, but he warns that the current economic environment…

Economist: Mixed bag in 4Q earnings suggests slower 2019 economy

Mervin Jebaraj, economist with the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business, says the fourth quarter earnings of publicly traded companies supports his theory that 2019 will be less robust…

Economist: 70 percent of Northwest Arkansas growth is in-migration

Population growth in Northwest Arkansas has been growing by about 12,000 new residents per year – a 1,000 person a month average increase – since 2014 and there appears to…

Economist: Business investment spending is key to wage growth

UA Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj said that the GOP tax cuts passed last December were expected to trigger business investment, and that will lead to wage growth for workers….

Economist: Farm income contributing to volatility in state GDP

University of Arkansas’ Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj said that fluctuating commodity prices and volatility in the agricultural sector are the biggest reasons why Arkansas’ GDP (gross domestic product) has…

UA economist says regional planning for affordable housing needed before it’s too late

UA Walton College of Business economist Mervin Jebaraj said the strong population growth in Arkansas metropolitan areas is a welcome trend, but he warns that a downside is the struggle…

UA economist sees tariffs leading to consumer price hikes, retaliation from other countries

UA Walton College economist Mervin Jebaraj doesn’t see much upside to tariffs that President Donald Trump says he plans to impose. On Thursday (March 8), Trump pulled the trigger on…