Economy

Tariffs “were a rollercoaster ride last year, and that rollercoaster does not seem to be easing up at all this year,” Maine State Economist Amanda Rector told a Mainebiz forum on Wednesday.

Greater Portland enters 2026 with a strong economic foundation and a vibrant business community, yet employers face very real pressures, according to Quincy Hentzel, president and CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Marty Grohman, entrepreneur and seasoned politician, says the 2026 elections — with two U.S. House seats, a Senate seat and the governor’s office — “will dominate attention and suck the oxygen out of economic discussions."

For the Economic Outlook issue, Mainebiz checked in with some 35 leaders to get their view of 2026.

Maine's minimum wage is well below Seattle's rate of $21.30 an hour, but higher than both New Hampshire and Vermont.

Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association, welcomed the ruling “as a huge victory for Maine hospitals and their patients."

Business leaders from around the state have varying expectations for the coming year.

Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association, said the funding helps mitigate some of the damage caused by rolled back support for Medicaid.

A longtime provider of financial and organizational support to nonprofits in the midcoast region has launched an online portal to better connect community members with volunteer opportunities. 

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard project distinguished Cheyenne as the first submarine to undergo an overhaul as part of a program that extended its total service life beyond 44 years.