On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the economy rapidly changed for the worst. The impact on Berkshire County was larger than that of the nation. According to Moody’s, the gross metro product of Pittsfield was down 6 percent in 2020. That compares to a 3.5 percent decrease for the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP). On a relative basis, employment in the Berkshires fell more than the nation and has been recovering more slowly. Notably, payrolls in the vital tourism sector are down significantly. According to Google Community Mobility Reports, 2021 year-to-date…
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Tag: Berkshires
How the Berkshire economy emerges from the pandemic
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the economy rapidly changed for the worse. The impact on Berkshire County was larger than that of the nation. According to Moody’s, the Gross Metro Product of Pittsfield was down 6% in 2020. That compares to a 3.5% decrease for the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a whole. On a relative basis, employment in the Berkshires fell more than the nation and has been recovering more slowly. Notably, payrolls in the vital tourism sector are down significantly. According to Google Community Mobility Reports, 2021 year-to-date traffic is…
Veteran investor ready to put his knowledge to work for you
Real Money: Straight-up Answers with Berkshire Money Management DALTON — Whether ushering a client through the complications of estate planning or hiking his way to the summit of Mount Greylock, Berkshire native Peter Coughlin always maps out a plan for success. Planning has kept him thriving in the personal finance business for close to 35 years. Coughlin is from Pittsfield, born and raised. The certified senior adviser and executive director at Berkshire Money Management is often found on the Appalachian Trail or in the saddle of his road, hybrid or mountain bikes on the roads here in the Berkshires. “I hike Greylock…
Firm VP: Save, invest, protect during good times and bad
Real Money: Straight-up Answers with Berkshire Money Management DALTON — When you put your money into the hands of a financial adviser, you don’t want a workweek warrior, someone who punches in at 9 and out at 5, only caring about their boat upgrade or catching the next happy hour (both on your dime). You want someone who’s reading up on the global markets around the clock. At Berkshire Money Management, that someone is Scott Little. Little, 43, is the firm’s vice president. He’s been with the company more than 18 years, working from the mailroom all the way to…