Bureau of Business Research
Date of this Version
9-23-2020
Document Type
Article
Citation
Copyright 2020 Eric Thompson, UNL Bureau of Business Research
Abstract
e LEI-N rose by 0.85% during August 2020. August marked the fourth consecutive increase in the leading indicator after sharp declines in March and April. The August result indicates that the Nebraska economy will grow over the next 6 months, continuing a steady recovery from large economic losses in March and April. Five of the six components of the leading indicator improved during August. Airline passenger enplanements grew modestly after seasonal adjustment, and there was a modest increase in building permits for single-family homes. There also was a drop in initial claims for unemployment insurance and the value of the U.S. dollar during August. A lower U.S. dollar improves competitive conditions for agricultural producers manufacturers, and other businesses that export. Business expectations were positive, according to the respondents to the monthly Survey of Nebraska Business. Manufacturing hours worked, however, dropped again during August.
Comments
Prepared by the UNL College of Business, Bureau of Business Research