Hunter
06/03/25
The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for a nine-state region including Iowa and stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved above the 50.0 growth neutral threshold for a fifth straight month.
The Index declined to 51.0 from April’s higher 53.3.
Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey as chair in the Heider College of Business at Creighton, says the figure represents significant volatility, much like other regional economic measures. He said nearly 35 percent of supply managers reported switching suppliers due to proposed and implemented tariffs.
In Iowa, the Index dropped below growth neutral, from 53.0 in April to 49.9 in May. The only state to show a gain was Missouri, which jumped from 48.1 in April to 53.4 in May; they had the highest Index figure of the region.
Other states surveyed include Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Oklahoma.