Quote of the day

In Western North Carolina, the regional economy has been flat since the summer, but Appalachian State University economists are likely to go back and revise their monthly estimates downward after the Commerce Department reported Thursday that the national economy shrank 0.3 percent in the third quarter.

“After a period of sitting at the crossroads, it's like we have turned the corner —but, unfortunately for the worse,” said Todd Cherry, an economics professor who authors the monthly WNC Economic Index for ASU.

...

The bad numbers could continue into the new year. “It could get worse before it gets better,” Cherry said.

Source: Voters focused on the faltering economy.