December 25, 2017Edition

The trends are going in the right direction for homeowners: an increase in prices and a sharp drop this year in foreclosures, both in Central Massachusetts and across the state. A tight supply market means finding a home is more difficult.

This past year was huge for the Worcester restaurant, entertainment and hospitality scene, with exciting announcements and openings.

With the American economy humming along at a steady rate – with job rates, household spending and consumer confidence all up – financial institutions lent more in 2017 than at any year since before the Great Recession, according to the Federal Reserve.

Worcester Business Journal's annual Economic Forecast issue gives us a chance to take a step back and reflect on everything that happened in the past year, which we use to predict what will come for the Central Massachusetts business community in 2018.

Smaller campuses may struggle with declining interest from international students, and colleges will have to work to find the right balance between speech rights and harmful actions.

Although biomanufacturing has been a bit slow to take hold in the region, there's only optimism for the budding industry.

The United Health Foundation dubbed Massachusetts America's healthiest state. But challenges remain, including a high rate of drug overdose deaths and preventable hospitalizations.

The motto of the Central Massachusetts business community might as well be, “Cautiously optimistic.”