The economy should start to rebound after the first two quarters of 2009, according to speakers at the Economic Forecast Forum in Raleigh Monday.

The forum was hosted by North Carolina Bankers Association and the North Carolina Chamber. Bill Johnson, the Chairman of the NC Chamber and Chairman and President of Progress Energy, said the current economic situation should be used as an opportunity to build a stronger future.

"Part of our problem here in the markets is the psychology of anxiety," Johnson said.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Martin Regalia predicted a slow first half of 2009.

"I think we're going to get out of it I think the economy will begin to grow in the second half of this year but the growth is going to be modest at best," Regalia said.

Regalia said part of that growth will come from the housing market which is showing signs of bottoming out.

Regalia said he expects the current trend of increasing unemployment to continue this year. While business activity might begin to pick up in mid-2009, he doesn't expect real job growth until 2010.

"We're going to be growing slow enough even after we start to grow that we won't be creating much in the way of jobs well into 2010," Regalia said.

Governor-elect Beverly Perdue said North Carolina has promise in many areas including the "green industry."

"I see it as a time to be creative and to be optimistic," Perdue said.

Perdue promised her new administration would act to stimulate the state's economy. She said North Carolina would claim its fair share of any federal stimulus spending, plus a bit more if North
Carolina leaders do their jobs well.

"We want to claim every federal dollar we can lay our hands on and use efficiently," she said.

Perdue, like outgoing Gov. Mike Easley, also promised not to wait on Washington. She said she, Easley and the other eight members of the Council of State, which essentially serves as the
Governor's Cabinet, would meet Tuesday and approve borrowing for more than two dozen state building projects valued at more than $700 million. The construction program could create more than 20,000 North Carolina jobs and pump millions of dollars into the economy, she said.

"We want shovel ready projects, shovel ready projects on my desk by Jan. 14. I want to know where they are and how we can put people back to work," Perdue said.

Perdue also promised to do more to support existing businesses, in addition to existing state efforts to coax new or relocating businesses to North Carolina. She said even with the recession
sapping state tax revenues, she would consider tax cuts that could encourage business expansion and job creation.

"Even in this economic downturn, we must consider targeted tax breaks that create new business and new jobs," she said.

Perdue will be inaugurated Saturday at a time when she said fear about the future is comparable to no time since the Depression. With the state's population still growing, 359,000 people are unemployed, the highest number in state history.