Nebraska’s leading economic indicator rose during December, 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, rose by 0.7 percent.
“The increase confirms that economic growth will continue in Nebraska during the first half of 2019,” said economist Eric Thompson, director of the Bureau of Business Research at the university.
Business expectations were strong in Nebraska during December. Respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business reported plans to increase both sales and employment over the next six months. There also was a December increase in both manufacturing hours and airline passenger counts.
There was a slight drop, however, in building permits for single-family homes. Further, both initial claims for unemployment insurance and the value of the U.S. dollar rose during December.
“The rising value of the U.S. dollar creates challenges for Nebraska businesses that export,” 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.
Read the full report and a technical report describing the indicators.
