For a second straight month, the Mid-America Business Conditions Index is moving up. The Business Conditions Index, which ranges between 0 and 100, rose to a tepid 53.2 from November’s 51.2 Dr Ernie Goss of Creighton University, who compiles the report says that is still a soft number…
But, for the second time in the past three months, the region’s employment gauge fell below growth neutral. The index sank to 48.7 from November’s 51.2, but was up slightly from October’s weak 48.2. Goss says a lot of that is tied to dropping ag prices…
Looking six months ahead, economic optimism, as captured by the December business confidence index, soared to a strong 66.5 from November’s 57.2. Goss says much of that is related to a budget deal approved by Congress last month…
This month supply managers were asked to identify the biggest challenge to their company/industry for 2014. More than one-third, or 35.3 percent, named escalating prices for inputs purchased by their firm as the biggest threat.