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June economic report affirms slow growth ahead in Midwest

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July 1st, 2015 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A report on a June survey underscores previous survey signs that slower economic growth likely is ahead for nine Midwestern and Plains states. The survey report issued Wednesday says the overall Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose to 53.0 from 50.4 in May and 52.7 in April.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says “improvements at the national level in housing, retail sales and hiring pushed supply managers to raise their expectations about future economic conditions.”

The survey results from supply managers are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth, while a score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.