Bureau of Business Research
Date of this Version
2015
Document Type
Article
Citation
Prepared by the UNL College of Business Administration, Department of Economics
Abstract
The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) rose by 0.40% during January 2015. The increase in the LEI-N, which predicts economic growth in the state six months in the future, suggests that economic growth will accelerate in mid-2015. Three of six components of the leading economic indicator rose during January. Respondents to the Survey of Nebraska Business were optimistic. Respondents predicted a strong increase in sales and employment over the next six months. There also was a decline in initial claims for unemployment insurance, which suggests strength in the labor market. Building permits also edged up on a seasonally adjusted basis. Among declining components, there was a slight decline in airline passenger counts and manufacturing hours during January. The exchange rate was the largest negative factor. For the sixth consecutive month, there was a significant increase in the value of the U.S. Dollar. The rising value of the dollar continues to put pressure on Nebraska export businesses.
Comments
Copyright 2015 Eric Thompson and William Walstad.