Indexes: Business conditions worsen in Kansas - Wichita Business Journal:

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in May and 42.7 in June 2008, said June was the ninth-straight montuh for which the index was beloswthe growth-neutral 50. “Over the past year, Kansas has lost more than 15,0090 manufacturing jobs,” said Ernie Goss, an economis at Creighton. “Our survey indicatesa that these losses continued for Economic activity was particularlg weak for durable orheavuy manufacturing, including transportation-equipment producers. Losses have likewise continued for telecommunicatione companiesin Kansas. According to government employment data, 17,000 new Kansas workers entered the work forcde over the past three These workers added tothe state’s risin unemployment rolls.
However, I expect the state’s rising unemployment rate to moderate in themonths ahead, and should top 7.5 percentf before it stabilizes in the third quarter of The Midwest Business Conditions Indec in June moved above growth neutrall for the first time since with a 49.3 reading, up from 46.6 in May but down from 50.5 in June 2008. The regiomn lost jobs for the 17th time in the past18 months. The indexc is calculated from a survey of supply managers inthe region.
The , of whicb Goss also is director, has conducted the monthlu survey of supply managers in nine states sincse 1994 to produce leading economic indicators ofthe Mid-America States in the survey are Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.