Nebraska’s leading economic indicator rose in November, by 0.38 percent.
The rise in the index followed a solid increase during the month of October.
“The increase in the leading indicator suggests that the Nebraska economy will expand at a solid pace during the 2nd quarter of 2016,” said economist Eric Thompson, director of the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Thompson said the components of the leading economic indicator show a split between the export and domestically-oriented parts of the economy. On the domestic side, general business expectations, airline passenger counts and building permits for single-family homes all improved during November.
However, the value of the U.S. dollar, which impacts exporters, rose during November. “The increase in the value of dollar creates headwinds for Nebraska’s export-oriented businesses in manufacturing and agriculture,” said Thompson.
Manufacturing hours also declined during November.
The leading economic indicator report is produced monthly by faculty and students in the Economics Department and the Bureau of Business Research in UNL’s College of Business Administration.