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Leading Indicator: The Nebraska Economy Begins to Rebound

Leading Indicator: The Nebraska Economy Begins to Rebound
Components of the Leading Economic Indicator were on the rise in May, signs that the economy will begin to recover later in 2020.
Nebraska’s leading economic indicator rose during May 2020, according to the most recent report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The leading indicator rose by 2.45% in May, after sharp declines in March and April.

Most components of the leading economic indicator improved during May, as the state economy began to recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic. There was a sharp drop in initial claims for unemployment insurance relative to March and April. Building permits for single-family homes also rebounded after dropping in April. There was even an increase in airline passenger enplanements relative to the previous month, as air travel began its slow recovery.

“The increase in the leading indicator confirms that the Nebraska economy will grow over the next 6 months,” said economist Eric Thompson, director of the Bureau of Business Research at the university. “The pace of recovery should be strong but will depend on a variety of related factors including the strength of the global economy, the rate of virus spread, the degree of change in consumer spending patterns, and the ability of businesses to adjust to changing conditions.”

Published: June 24, 2020