Economic expansion increases in Missouri
From the St. Louis Business Journal 06/01/07The Missouri Business Conditions Index was 66.2 in May, up from 62.5 in April and 59 in May 2006, Creighton University said Friday.
An index number higher than 50 indicates and expanding economy.
"Despite weakness in Missouri's large durable goods manufacturing sector, especially auto and auto-related production and furniture production, the state's economy continues to improve," Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss said in the release. "Our survey points to solid growth in the months ahead with the unemployment rate stabilizing slightly above its current low of 4.5 percent."
The index for the Mid-America region was 58.3 in May, down from 62 in April and 65.7 in May 2006.
The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group, of which Goss also is director, has conducted the monthly survey of supply managers in nine states since 1994 to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States surveyed are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
