Polis rings the New York Stock Exchange bell

DENVER (KDVR) — On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis rang the New York Stock Exchange’s closing bell to signal the close of trading and celebrate the state’s economy.

The bell-ringing was virtual. New York Stock Exchange President Lynn Martin and a handful of Colorado business leaders joined Polis at the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion.

Polis touted business contributions to the state’s economy in a statement released after ringing the bell.

“We are proud of Colorado’s thriving business community and the contributions they make to our economy,” Polis said. “Hosting the New York Stock Exchange in Colorado is a great opportunity to showcase the incredible work being done here and the fact that our state is the best place to launch and run a business, including a large public company.”

Polis also touted his past as an entrepreneur and businessman. He cited taking steps to save businesses money on property taxes, increases to low-cost training opportunities for businesses to hire needed talent, and a focus on addressing Colorado’s housing crisis so workers can afford to live near their workplaces.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Colorado’s unemployment rate has grown from 3.3% in September to 3.5% in February. In February 2023, the unemployment rate was 3%.

The lowest state unemployment rate in the past few years was in August 2022, with 2.6% of the working population of Colorado reporting they were unemployed.

The national unemployment rate in March, according to the BLS, was 3.8%, down from 3.9% in February.

The state reported an inflation rate of 5.2% in 2023, down from 8% in 2022, which was a large increase over 2021, when the state government reported an inflation rate of 3.5%.