A monthly economic index for nine Midwest and Plains states rose above a growth neutral level last month, pointing to slow growth for the region over the next three to six months.

The Mid-America Business Conditions index hit 53.2 in January, up from 49.5 in December and 48.0 in November.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he noted that the region's manufacturing sector "moved sideways to slightly down" over January.

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.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.