It’s just numbers, but there’s meaning behind them.

During the first six months of this year, the City issued fewer new business licences than during the same period in 2011.

City community development manager Randy Lambright said Thursday despite that slight decline, about 11 per cent, the overall number of business licences was higher than a year ago.

“Our overall total numbers are up, about 5,398 versus 5,374 last year,” he said.

The trend indicates the economy in Kamloops is stable, without huge waves or ebbs.

“When we get wild fluctuations really up or really down, it means the economy is really growing or shrinking. We’re not seeing that. What we’re seeing is more stability,” he said.

“The other positive is we’re still seeing positive numbers, not stagnation.”

Venture Kamloops executive director Dan Sulz agreed.

He similarly described the Kamloops economy as stable, but “with glimmers of optimism.”

Sulz said he’s seeing more interest from mining-related businesses — not necessarily to do with the proposed Ajax mine, but with an eye to New Gold, Highland Valley Copper and even as far as Williams Lake.

“They see this as a central base,” he said.

He’s also seeing interest from technology companies, especially those in software development.

“There is a lot of interest in Kamloops because of the fibre networks,” he said.

“The networks cross the country. We have the majority of the fibre networks coming through here.”

But there are self-starters looking in retail and services, too, like a young man who makes specialized cheesecakes who is selling wholesale to area restaurants.