Nebraska Monthly Economic Indicators: March 17, 2017

The Leading Economic Indicator – Nebraska (LEI-N) 1 rose by 2.08% during February of 2017. The indicator also rose rapidly in January. The two increases indicate that economic growth will be strong in Nebraska during the second half of 2017. Among the components of the indicator, business expectations were very strong during February. Further, initial claims for unemployment insurance declined during the month, a sign of a strengthening labor market. The value of the U.S. dollar also fell during February, which is a positive sign for Nebraska’s export-oriented businesses