Assuming the debt crises here and abroad are mostly resolved, Colorado could gain as many as 42,100 jobs in 2013, compared with 47,900 jobs this year, according to a forecast released Monday by economists at UC Boulder.

"For the state, we see a very positive environment for 2013," Richard Wobbekind of the university's Leeds Schools of Business said. "We're seeing a wide array of jobs being added and they're diversifying our state economy."

The biggest threats: the U.S. "fiscal cliff" and turmoil in overseas markets.

"Resolution of the so-called fiscal cliff and resolution of the European debt crisis will have impacts on the national economy that will filter down to the state level," Wobbekind said. "Once that uncertainty gets resolved, we then expect business investments to start flowing again and consumers to start making decisions based on a known environment. We think the recovery will be quite a bit smoother after that."

Wobbekind and his team's forecast is based on an examination of hiring trends in 13 sectors. The forecast was to be unveiled Monday in the CU Leeds School of Business annual Colorado Business Economic Outlook event in Denver.
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