The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index for February, a leading economic indicator for a nine-state region stretching from North Dakota to Arkansas, increased from January’s reading.

Ernie Goss, director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group says they index shows steady upward growth…

 

Goss says employment growth is still fairly slow…

 

Goss says more than one-third of supply managers, or 35.2 percent, expected new hiring for their firms in 2015.  However this is down from 40.3 percent recorded last year at this time.

 

In December of 2014, the prices-paid index, which tracks the cost of raw materials and supplies, declined to its lowest level in five years.

Goss says those costs continue to trend on the soft side…

 

Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the February business confidence index, decreased to 58.4 from January’s 61.8.