Edited release
12/02/25
For the third time in the past five months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved slightly below growth neutral.
The Business Conditions Index, which uses the identical methodology as the national Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, sank to 49.5 from 50.5 in October.
Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey at Creighton, says the latest survey indicates that the regional manufacturing economy continues to move sideways with the wholesale inflation gauge moving lower. Only one in five supply mangers expect rising economic conditions for their firm over the next six months.
Iowa had the highest reading of all the states in the region, with a 52.2. Kansas and Nebraska were also above growth neutral. Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri , the Dakotas and Oklahoma are the other states in the survey.
Full details are available at Creighton.edu.