The Center for Business and Economic Research at UNLV has just released their January Indices and - as you probably would guess - the numbers are not good.

Summarizing the Southern Nevada Index of Leading Economic Indicators:

"The Index of Leading Indicators continues to decline. Not since the aftermath of 9/11 has there been as sharp as this one-month decline. The fall out of the September failure of Lehman Brothers continues to show across the U.S., including Nevada, which some once thought was immune to such national economic events. It is highly likely that we may see a few more months of difficulty before things get better."

Regarding the CBER Clark County Business-Activity Index:

"The Business-Activity Index posted yet another month of decline for November 2008, dropping 5.74 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. October and November have seen the largest declines over the past year. The fourth quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 are likely to be the weakest performing period in the current recession, which, if it expends to midyear 2009, will be the longest recession since the 1930s. It is fair to say that the severity of the current recession is likely to last longer and to match the loss of jobs of the most severe downturns in the post-WWII period. Moreover, the longer we get into 2009 the greater the likelihood of hearing more optimistic economic news"

For the CBER Clark County Tourism Index:

"The November 2008 Tourism Index stands 13.53 percent below the index value for the same month a year ago. Gaming revenue also fell to the lowest level since July 2004 and to the lowest revenues for November since 2003. Occupancy rates reached 79.2 percent, the lowest level since December of 2004. The poor performance of Clark County tourism is consistent with our knowledge of consumer spending in a recession. Consumers facing economic hardship and expecting further economic decline cut back on big-ticket items, such as cars and furniture, and discretionary spending, such as travel and holidays. Businesses also cut back spending on conferences, sales meetings, and other travel."

And lastly, the CBER Clark County Construction Index:

"The CBER Construction Index fell to 97.84 for November 2008, the lowest level since 1995. With a large surplus of empty housing units and falling job numbers, prospects for selling new homes remain dim, resulting in a marked decline in permitting. You have to go back to December 1981, however, to find one-month permitting numbers that are less than the recent numbers. Not surprisingly, weak prospects for all types of construction have brought few new projects, cutting construction jobs in Clark by near 11 thousand over the past year."

All of this translates into challenging times ahead for 2009. But remember this: great fortunes are made in down markets. That's a fact you don't see mentioned in this research report or reported ANYWHERE in the mainstream media. Believe it - it could be you!