· 2 min read
Little change in leading indicator in new year
Nebraska’s leading economic indicator fell slightly during January, according to the most recent report from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
The leading indicator, a composite of economic factors that predict economic growth six months into the future, dipped 0.15%.
“The January decline followed a sharp increase during December,” said economist Eric Thompson, director of the Bureau of Business Research at the university. “Taken together, the two monthly results suggest moderate growth in the Nebraska economy through mid-2020.”
The leading indicator fell due to a drop in airline passenger enplanements and an increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance, Thompson said.
Nebraska businesses maintained a positive outlook, with respondents to the January Survey of Nebraska Business reporting plans to increase sales and employment over the next six months.
Building permits for single-family homes changed little on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The leading economic indicator report is produced monthly by faculty and students in the Bureau of Business Research in Nebraska’s College of Business.
Read the full report and a technical report describing the indicators.
