Index for Mountain States region dips

OMAHA, Neb. — Elevated inflationary pressures have caused the overall index for the Mountain States region to slip over the past month, according to the October Business Conditions survey of supply managers and business leaders in the three-state region of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.

The overall Business Conditions Index for the tri-state region dipped to 63.3 from September's 64.8 reading.

Utah's October index was slightly lower than the overall reading, at 60.6. Although growth in the state has cooled over the past few months, Creighton University economics professor Ernie Gross expects Utah's job growth to far outpace the rest of the nation in the coming months.

Utah truckers, particularly, are experiencing "healthy business activity" due to the expanding economy, Goss said.

Also in the October survey, the region's employment index dropped to 60.6 from September's 70. The 60.6 is still a healthy reading, however, and new hiring in the region, though it is expected to slow down from past months, will still exceed the national pace, Goss said.

The survey is conducted monthly by Creighton University's Economic Forecasting Group. The overall index ranges between 0 and 100. An index greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy over the next three to six months.