TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - With the threat of war with Iraq looming and the continuing confrontation with North Korea, the 2003 Economic Outlook Conference presented by The University of Alabama’s Center for Business and Economic Research takes on even greater importance to the state’s business community.

The conference is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Montgomery.

“These are very uncertain times,” said Dr. Carl Ferguson, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at UA. “Business leaders who have an understanding of international conflicts and issues will have an added advantage when facing decisions that may determine the future of their companies. The state’s business community has already expressed a high degree of interest in the upcoming outlook conference and in hearing what our speakers have to say about globalization, international conflict and the impact on the state and national economy. For instance, will oil and gas prices continue to increase? How will the market react?”

The luncheon speaker for the conference will be Harry Harding, dean of the Elliot School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. He will speak on “Globalization and Conflict: The Search for a New World Order.”

In addition to Harding, speakers include Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for Global Insight, who will present the United States economic outlook, and Ferguson, who will address the Alabama Outlook.

Conference sponsors this year are Alabama Power; Compass Bank; Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama; Sterne, Agee & Leach Inc.; United Parcel Service; and Vulcan Materials Co.

The conference registration fee is $95, which includes the Alabama Economic Outlook 2003, conference materials, and lunch.

Registration deadline is Jan. 9, 2003. For more information, phone 205/348-6191 or e-mail uacber@cba.ua.edu.

CBER is Alabama’s central reservoir for business, economic and demographic data. Since its creation in 1930, CBER has engaged in research programs to promote economic development in the state, while continuously expanding and refining its broad base of socioeconomic information. To forecast the level of activity in Alabama, CBER developed an econometric model of the state. Beginning in 1980, output from the model has been published in the annual Alabama Economic Outlook series.

Visit CBER on the web at: http://cber.cba.ua.edu