The region’s gearing up to have a good holiday season the end of the year, judging by the monthly survey compiled by Creighton University economist Ernie Goss. The professor puts together a monthly economic index after talking to purchasing managers in a nine-state Midwestern region. The September survey was down from August but still shows “pretty good growth” with hiring a bit better. Goss says new orders have been fairly strong and it bodes well for future months, since orders will mean additional hiring. Goss says heavy manufacturing orders like steel are good in the longterm for the regional and state economies. However, Goss says businesses remain cautious, holding down their costs and thus keeping inventories and work staff light. Goss thinks we’ll see more hiring since businesses have “squeezed as much as they can” out of their current workforce, Goss says by Christmas, the buying season should be an improvement over the last two years and good for many businesses.
