The Iowa economy is seeing its strongest surge in a decade to a record high, according to the latest monthly survey from Creighton University. Professor Jim Knudsen says the Midwestern economy, too, is growing at a rate that has -not- been seen before in the history of the decade-old survey. Knudsen says a ranking of 50 is neutral and anything above 50 shows growth. The Midwest region is at 70-point-3, very strong and indicating future growth, says Knudsen, singling out the durable goods and manufacturing industries for really turning around. For Iowa in particular, he says things haven’t ever looked better — since the regional survey first began in 1994. “The Iowa economy appears to be supercharged,” says Knudsen. The index of 81 is a record high for Iowa and is one of the strongest showings in the region — again anything above 50 is good. In March, Iowa was at 75-point-six. The employment index for Iowa was also very good at 76-point-four. New orders in Iowa bounded to 89-point-two, a regional high. Knudsen says there’s only one bit of foul news.The prices paid index is also super-charged, with prices on commodities, oil, steel and other vital goods continuing to rise, which may mean inflation in the future for consumers. Knudsen is associate director of Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group. The team conducts the monthly survey of purchasing managers, supply managers and business leaders in nine states to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States included in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
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