Rural Main Street Economic Index Stays Above Growth Neutral For January

LINCOLN–(KFOR Jan. 19)–The monthly main street economic survey of rural bank CEOs in Nebraska and 9 other Midwest and plains states indicates the index was above growth neutral for a second straight month, after six consecutive months of being below the neutral mark of 50.

Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss says January’s reading was 53.8, up from 50.1 in December. Goss says bank CEOs ranked higher input prices as the greatest threat to farms, followed by higher interest rates.

Low loan demand is being labeled by those same CEOs as the greatest threat to rural banks, along with rising regulatory costs.