This year’s inaugural issue of Trend Lines is giving readers a chance to look forward and back at the major developments that helped shape the Greater Hartford business community.

In the stories that follow, prominent local economists and business professionals will provide economic forecasts that will help your business make more informed decisions in 2014. Results from Hartford Business Journal’s first ever economic outlook survey are also revealed.

And, while it’s important to look toward the future, we’ve also provided an extensive year in review that shines light on the movers and shakers, companies and industries that dominated headlines in 2013. The look back is important because the only way to figure out where the region’s economy is headed is to remember where it has already been.

The year in review is divided into industry sections with a focus on the economy, banking and finance, manufacturing, education, energy, health care and real estate. All the year in review stories have been edited. To read the full versions go to HartfordBusiness.com and type the headline in the search box. Follow those same instructions to read full versions of any top 10 most read story.

We are always interested in reader feedback so let us know what you think about Trend Lines.

Good luck in 2014.

— Greg Bordonaro gbordonaro@HartfordBusiness.com Editor

CT’s budget outlook still cloudy — Kevin Lembo, state comptroller

Who is going fix our teeth and planes, prep our taxes and brains in 2016? — Thomas Phillips, president and CEO, Capital Workforce Partners

Greater Hartford office market gaining momentum — Michael Puzzo, first vice president and partner, CBRE New England

Economy takes licking, but can it keep ticking? — Daniel W. Kennedy, senior economist, Connecticut Department of Labor; contributing editor, The Connecticut Economy

Connecticut’s economy slowly, steadily trending up — Pete Gioia, economist, CBIA

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Read the results of our 2014 economic outlook survey