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Nebraska indicator shows uptick in expectations for mid-2018
Economic growth is expected to remain solid in Nebraska through the second quarter of 2018, according to the most recent leading economic indicator report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The indicator, a composite of economic factors that predict growth six months into the future, rose by 0.64 percent in November.
“The rise in the indicator suggests that solid economic growth will continue in Nebraska over the next six months, through the second quarter of 2018,” said economist Eric Thompson, director of the university’s Bureau of Business Research. “Business expectations are the primary reason for the rise.”
A majority of businesses expect to increase sales and employment over the next six months. Building permits for single-family homes also rose during November.
The principal concern for the economy is a rising U.S. dollar.
“The value of the dollar has increased for the last two months, and that is challenging for Nebraska exporters in agriculture and manufacturing,” Thompson said.
The leading economic indicator report is produced monthly by faculty and students in the Bureau of Business Research in Nebraska’s College of Business.
The full report and a technical report describing the indicators are available at the Bureau of Business Research website here.
