Creighton study shows Iowa’s economy is "robust"

A Creighton University study of Iowa’s economy finds it in “robust” condition. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says the results of the survey for July find the numbers almost exactly the same as they were in June, which is a good thing. The survey of supply managers and business leaders finds the Iowa economy “growing very significantly and is likely to grow in the months ahead,” according to Goss. He says the July economic indicators index for Iowa is about the same as it was in June — in the “strong growth” range. Goss says “Firms across most industries in Iowa are reporting improving economic conditions and we are recording solid economic expansions for Iowa’s high-tech sector.” Goss says along with the economic growth comes a corresponding growth in jobs, the best in several years. Goss says the state’s employment outlook remains very good. He expects the state’s overall workforce to gain about two-percent this year, totaling some 28- or 29-thousand jobs for 2005. Goss expects the Federal Reserve Board to again raise interest rates at its next meeting August 9th. That would mark the 10th increase in a row which he predicts will bring something of an economic slowdown in Iowa and the Midwest later this year.