On The Economy: Economic signals showing weakness

The Northern Colorado Business Report Index of Leading Indicators showed significant weakness for several of the summer months, pulling the growth trend and the 2003 forecast down into the 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent range.

Construction sectors, which have been carrying the Northern Colorado economy for the past year or more, show major weakness. Month-to month economic growth in 2002 has been very erratic, but trending downward. Six of the first 10 months of 2002 have been near or below zero growth.

The outlook for the construction sectors does not look good. New single-family-detached housing permits have shown significant weakness in recent…