A jobs forecast prepared for a business group in Alaska’s largest city projects that Anchorage will suffer a loss of 1,600 jobs this year, including 600 in the oil and gas sector.
The 2016 Anchorage economic forecast released by the Anchorage Economic Development Corp. says the city of just under 300,000 could see a net 1 percent jobs decline.
Cost-cutting by petroleum companies and a projected decline in state government spending are among factors in the projected job loss.
The report forecasts a loss of 500 government jobs and 500 construction jobs.
Corporation chief executive officer Bill Popp says a 1 percent reduction takes the city back to 2012 job levels.
The report forecasts an increase in health care and hospitality jobs.
