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Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report Fourth Quarter 2018, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) continued to bounce around as the fourth quarter LEI registered an 8.26 point loss after recording a strong positive value in the third quarter of the year. This quarter’s negative reading is largely attributed to higher initial jobless claims in the region as well as weaker new filings of incorporation and LLC in the Southwest Minnesota planning area. An increase in the number of residential building permits in the Mankato/North Mankato metropolitan statistical area and an improvement in the Rural Mainstreet Index, a statistic that is used …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report Third Quarter 2018, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) continued to bounce around as the third quarter LEI registered a 10.73 point gain after recording a negative value in the second quarter of the year. This quarter’s positive reading is largely attributed to lower initial jobless claims in the region. Also favorably impacting the leading index were higher new filings of incorporation and LLC in the Southwest Minnesota planning area as well as an increase in the number of residential building permits in the Mankato/North Mankato metropolitan statistical area. A decline in the Rural Mainstreet Index, …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report Second Quarter 2018, King Banaian, Richard Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

The St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) continued to bounce around as the second quarter LEI turned negative after recording a strong positive value in the first quarter of the year. Despite the negative reading in the second quarter, economic fundamentals in this part of the state appear to point to continued steady growth over the next several months. Two of four LEI components were positive in the second quarter as a stronger outlook for rural Minnesota and higher Mankato area residential building permits led the way. The most significant negative component of this …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report Fourth Quarter 2017, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Despite a negative reading of the fourth quarter St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI), economic fundamentals in Southwest Minnesota appear to be sufficiently strong to see a continuation of steady regional economic growth over the next several months. Two of four LEI components were positive in the fourth quarter. An increase in residential building permits in the Mankato MSA and higher new business filings of incorporation and LLC in Southwest Minnesota contributed favorably to the LEI. A weaker rural Minnesota economic outlook and higher initial jobless claims in recent months helped drag down this …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report First Quarter 2018, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

After experiencing a negative reading in the fourth quarter of 2017, the St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) turned positive in this year’s first quarter, indicating continued economic growth in Southwest Minnesota over the next several months. Three of four LEI components were positive in the first quarter. A larger number of new business filings of incorporation and LLC in Southwest Minnesota and a stronger outlook for rural Minnesota helped drive the leading index higher in the current quarter. A decline in initial jobless claims also helped lift the index. A decrease in the …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report Third Quarter 2017, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Steady economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of four LEI components were positive in the third quarter. An increase in residential building permits in the Mankato MSA and lower jobless claims in Southwest Minnesota contributed favorably to the LEI in the third quarter. A decrease in new business filings of incorporation and LLC and a weaker rural Minnesota economic outlook weighed on the leading index in the current quarter. After falling by a revised 4.82 …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2017, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Increased economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of four LEI components were positive in the second quarter. An improvement in the rural outlook and lower jobless claims contributed favorably to the LEI in the second quarter. A decrease in residential building permits in the Mankato MSA and reduced new business filings of incorporation and LLC weighed on the leading index in the current quarter. After rising a revised 4.23 points in this year’s first quarter, …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - First Quarter 2017, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Increased economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Three of four LEI components were positive in the first quarter. An improvement in the rural outlook and lower jobless claims contributed favorably to the LEI in the first quarter. An increase in residential building permits in the Mankato MSA also helped lift the leading index. After falling 2.77 points in last year’s fourth quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI rose by 4.68 points in the current quarter. The index …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Fourth Quarter 2016, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Somewhat slower economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of four LEI components were positive in the fourth quarter. An increase in new filings of incorporation and LLC and an improvement in the rural outlook contributed favorably to the LEI this quarter. An increase in initial jobless claims and lower residential building permits in the Mankato MSA weighed on the index. After rising just 0.03 points in the third quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI declined …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Normal economic growth in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Two of four LEI components were positive in the third quarter. An increase in new filings of incorporation and LLC and a jump in Mankato residential building permits made favorable contributions to the LEI this quarter. An increase in initial jobless claims and weakness in the rural outlook weighed on the index. After rising 1.27 points in the second quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI was essentially flat in …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

A steady improvement in economic conditions in Southwest Minnesota is expected over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). While three of four LEI components were negative in the second quarter, a decline in initial jobless claims in recent months helped keep the index in positive territory in the second quarter. After rising 3.14 points in the first quarter, the Southwest Minnesota LEI increased by 1.27 points in the current quarter. A weakness in the rural outlook, some sluggishness in new business filings earlier …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - First Quarter 2016, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Economic conditions are expected to improve in Southwest Minnesota over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). A strengthening rural outlook, a recent increase in new business filings, and fewer initial jobless claims in the first quarter helped drive the leading index higher. A small reduction in residential building permits in Mankato served as a drag on the leading index in the first quarter.

There were 665 new business filings with the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State in Southwest Minnesota in the …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Fourth Quarter 2015, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Economic conditions are expected to improve in Southwest Minnesota over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). A rise in Mankato area single family residential building permits and fewer initial jobless claims in the fourth quarter helped drive the leading index higher. A weakening in the rural outlook made a negative contribution to the LEI this quarter. Lower new filings for incorporation and limited liability company (LLC) also served as a drag on the leading index in the fourth quarter.

There were 550 new …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2015, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to soften over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). A reduction in Mankato area single family residential building permits and considerably higher initial jobless claims in the region helped drive this quarter’s leading index lower. A weakening in the rural outlook also made a negative contribution to the LEI this quarter. Increased new filings for incorporation and limited liability company (LLC) earlier in the year was the only component making a positive contribution to the index in …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Second Quarter 2015, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to be steady over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). An increase in Mankato area residential building permits in the first part of the year and an improvement in the rural outlook made positive contributions to the LEI in the second quarter. Higher initial jobless claims earlier in the year had a negative impact on the index. Also contributing unfavorably to this quarter’s LEI was weaker new business filings earlier this year. The LEI for the second …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - First Quarter 2015, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to soften over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). A decline in Mankato area residential building permits and last year’s weakness in new business filings helped push down the index in this year’s first three months. The LEI fell 22.22 points in the first quarter and is now 18.1 percent below its level one year ago. On a positive note, lower initial jobless claims in 2014 in the Southwest Minnesota planning area and a small improvement in …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Fourth Quarter 2014, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to slow over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). An increase in initial jobless claims earlier in 2014 combined with weakness in the general outlook for rural economies helped push down the fourth quarter 2014 LEI for the Southwest Minnesota planning area. While there has been a recent increase in new business filings of business incorporation and limited liability company (LLC) and higher residential building permits in the Mankato area, these indicators were insufficient to push the …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report - Third Quarter 2014, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to slow over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). A recent decline in jobless claims in Southwest Minnesota was the only LEI component with a favorable outlook. Pushing down the regional index was weakness in the general outlook for rural economies and a decrease in Mankato area residential building permits. The SCSU Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators decreased by 4.16 points in the third quarter of 2014 and is now 1.4 percent lower than one …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report, Second Quarter 2014, Richard A. Macdonald, King Banaian

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to slow over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators (LEI). Despite improvements in the general outlook for rural economies, an increase in new regional business formation and rising Mankato area residential building permits, the LEI is little changed from its strong reading in this year’s first quarter. Holding back the regional economic outlook is a recent rise in initial jobless claims in the Southwest Minnesota planning area. The SCSU Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators increased by …

Southwest Minnesota Economic And Business Conditions Report: First Quarter 2014, King Banaian, Richard A. Macdonald

Southwest Minnesota Economic and Business Conditions Report

Southwest Minnesota business conditions are expected to improve over the next several months according to the predictions of the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators. With a significant reduction in initial jobless claims and continued increases in new business incorporations and limited liability companies (LLC), the Southwest Minnesota economy appears headed for a strong growth trajectory through the summer months. The SCSU Southwest Minnesota Index of Leading Economic Indicators is now 1.8 percent higher than one year ago.

There were 660 new business filings with the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State in …