Consumer and business confidence moderated in Nebraska during April, according to the latest monthly surveys from the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Business and consumer confidence fell in April from high levels seen during March.
The state’s business confidence index fell to 104.8 in April from 110.4 in March, according to responses to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business. The state’s consumer confidence index, which is based on the monthly Survey of Nebraska Households, fell to a value of 104.3 in April from 106.8 in March. Despite the decline, the values remain well above the neutral level of 100, indicating strong business and consumer confidence in Nebraska.
“Survey results for April show that while businesses and households remain positive, confidence may be waning from the high levels seen during the first quarter of 2018,” said Eric Thompson, an economist and bureau director.
The surveys also gathered information about the top issues faced by households and businesses.
“Taxes and the cost of health care were the most common concerns of Nebraska households but were not prioritized by a large share of businesses,” Thompson said. “Businesses were more concerned about competition and work force challenges.”
The surveys are sent each month to 500 randomly selected Nebraska businesses and households. During April, 148 businesses responded to the Survey of Nebraska Business, for a response rate of 30 percent. There were 131 responses to the Survey of Nebraska Households, for a response rate of 26 percent.
For more information, the full survey report is available on the Bureau of Business Research website here.
