OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of business supply managers suggests the economy is growing slowly in nine Midwest and Plains states as the U.S. trade war with China continues, according to a report released Thursday.
The Mid-America Business Conditions index rebounded to 50.6 in December, compared with 48.6 in November, the report said.
Surveys over the past several months indicate that the regional manufacturing economy is being harmed by the trade war and the global economic slowdown, said Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey.
The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline.
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
