Since declining to a record low in April of last year, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, has remained above growth neutral for 18 of the last 19 months. The Index is a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, which includes Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma.
The Index, which ranges between 0 and 100, fell to a still healthy 60.2 in November, from October’s even stronger 65.2. Firms reported transportation bottlenecks in trucking, and rail were the prime factors accounting for supply chain disruptions. Supply managers named shortage of workers as the second most important factor producing supply disruptions, bottlenecks and delays.
The Kansas Business Conditions Index for November fell to 61.2 from 66.5 in October.