Economic activity in Western North Carolina was unchanged from June to July, according to an index of a 25-county region that includes Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes.
The index, released yesterday, was at 99. By comparison, the index was at 104.4 in July 2008.
Todd Cherry, a co-author of the index and a professor of economics at Appalachian State University, said that a decrease of half a percentage point in the region's work force offset other economic indicators during the month.
"This recession has been incredibly damaging to the region's employment picture," Cherry said. He said that the region has lost more than 13,000 jobs since January and nearly 40,000 since January 2008.
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