May 2018

Latest Jobs Report Analysis

For years, the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) at Towson University has provided monthly updates on Maryland’s economy. The RESI team recently unveiled a new tool to allow you to better understand the economy of Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Region: The Mid-Atlantic Regional Employment Workbook. The interactive dashboard allows you to see how the regional economy is changing for 29 different industries. Read on to see how the region’s economy is changing and to use the dashboard to solve questions related to your business.

RESI in the News

If Amazon HQ2 Comes to Maryland, High Housing Prices, Low Inventory Will Only Get Worse
Baltimore Business Journal, 04/24/2018

A trade war with China could significantly impact the greater Washington region due to imported goods from China through the ports in Baltimore and Norfolk. According to RESI's Chief Economist Dr. Daraius Irani, consumers will see higher prices because "costs are going to be partially absorbed by the companies and then on to the consumer." Dr. Irani also notes that, "Tariffs are not a good tool to achieve [President Trump's] objective, which is to limit the intellectual property issues that China may be pursuing. This is akin to using a sledgehammer to put a picture up on the wall. Tariffs could have the potential of having a severe dislocating effect for our economy, and actually cause the economy to slow down and perhaps even enter into a period of negative growth."