WHAT: The fourth quarter this year hasn’t proven to be as positive as was the case last year. The Current Conditions Index has now failed to exceed its year earlier value for four consecutive months, which signals a slowing in our rate of growth as 2013 comes to end.

WHO: URI Professor of Economics Leonard Lardaro, creator and author of the Current Conditions Index.

WHEN: For release today, Jan. 13, 2014

HOW: Click to download the most recent index, including summary and charts prepared by Lardaro for news reports. He is available for broadcast and print interviews. The new information and other historical information can also be found on Lardaro’s web site at Lardaro’s web site. Lardaro will be blogging about the new labor data during the coming weeks. You can find his discussion and charts at Blogspot.

FOR INFORMATION: Leonard Lardaro, office, 401-874-4128, home, 401-783-9563

Dave Lavallee, URI Department of Marketing & Communications, 401-874-2116.

BACKGROUND: The Current Conditions Index, created by Lardaro, measures the strength of the present economic climate in R.I. by following the behavior of 12 indicators.

Download the November 2013 Index, http://www.uri.edu/news/download/NOV_2013.pdf.