(Radio Iowa) – The Midwestern economy improved slightly during January, according to the latest Creighton University survey, but Iowa’s economy continued to struggle.
Creighton economist Ernie Goss says supply managers are fearful new tariffs will hurt business, and in anticipation, many firms increased inventory levels during January and boosted imports to a record high. For only the third time since last July, Goss says the overall Business Conditions Index climbed above growth neutral.
The survey is based on a zero-to-100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. For January, Iowa’s economy hit a regional low just over 43. The nation lost 93-thousand jobs last year, while Goss says the Midwest lost 79-hundred jobs.
