(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Business Council’s latest survey finds a positive outlook for sales, capital spending, and employment in the next six months. Their survey rates those factors on a 100-point scale and I-B-C president Joe Murphy says the outlook is healthy. “We’re more than we’re more than two points higher than the fourth quarter of 2025, and we’re more than five and a half points, almost five points higher than our historical average of 60 points,” Murphy says. He says the outlook is driven by sales expectations.
“Sales expectations surged by almost eight total points to a value of over 73 points, a threshold that our members haven’t achieved since 2018, in fact. And so we’re very optimistic,” Murphy says. The Iowa Business Council is a nonprofit organization whose 22 members are the chief decision makers of major Iowa employers. Murphy says he thinks their positive outlook is indicative of Iowa’s resilient economy.
“And I think a general outlook of, you know, hey, we’ve weathered some pretty difficult situations these last six to 12 months and certainly the future should spell some optimism for all of us.” Murphy says. Murphy says the top three concerns the businesses face are ones that have been ongoing for some time.
“Tied for first, actually, with 53 percent of our members citing this was attraction and retention on workforce. It’s been a perennial issue that we’ve constantly been trying to focus on,” Murphy says. “And then 47 percent of our members, again, talked about an unfavorable business climate. So that’s, again, permitting reform. That’s national supply chain. That’s sort of the macro effect. So while it’s still high, 47 percent, it is down from previous surveys. And so we’ll take the win on that one.”
Murphy says they have seen some clarity with the Federal Reserve System, including a new chairman being nominated, and some clarity on rates. He says the ag economy continues to be a bit down, but he says there is optimism that trade agreements can get worked out as we move into the spring.
