A monthly economic index report suggests an economic slump will continue over the next three to six months for nine Midwest and Plains states.
The Mid-America Business Conditions index rose slightly in November to a weak 48.0 from 46.5 in October. The figure was 50.4 in September.
The survey of business leaders and supply managers uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says it is tracking "economic weakness, particularly for nondurable-goods producers."
The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
