January 2017 Survey Results at a Glance:

• For the 17th straight month, the Rural Mainstreet Index remained below growth neutral.
• Almost one-third of bank CEOs indicated that soaring loan defaults represented the greatest Rural Mainstreet banking threat for 2017.
• Almost nine of ten bankers reported that low agriculture commodity represented the biggest threat to the rural economic for 2017.
• Eighty percent of bankers expect the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in the first half of 2017.
• States with January Rural Mainstreet expansions: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota; States with January Rural Mainstreet contractions: Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wyoming.
  

OMAHA, Neb. (Jan. 19, 2017) – The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index remained weak with a reading below growth neutral for the 17th straight month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.
 
Overall: The index, which ranges between 0 and 100 slipped to 42.8 from 42.9 in December. This was the 17th straight month the economic gauge dipped below growth neutral 50.0.
 
“The overall index was virtually flat from last month. Over the past 12 months, livestock commodity prices have tumbled by 7.3 percent and grain commodity prices have slumped by 11.7 percent. The economic fallout from this price weakness continues to push growth into negative territory for five of the 10 states in the region,” said Ernie Goss, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University's Heider College of Business.
 
When asked to identify the greatest economic threat to their local economy 87.8 percent of the bankers, indicated that continuing low agriculture commodity prices was the greatest challenge or threat for 2017.
 
States with January Rural Mainstreet expansions: Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota; States with January Rural Mainstreet contractions: Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wyoming.
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December 2016 Survey Results at a Glance:

• For a 16th straight month, the Rural Mainstreet Index remained below growth neutral though the index advanced to its highest level since June 2016.
• Farmland prices declined for the 37th straight month.
• Bank CEOs expect loan defaults to rise by 5.6 percent over the next 12 months. This estimate is up slightly from 5.4 percent recorded in July of this year.
• Bankers expect holiday sales for Rural Mainstreet retailers to expand by a scant 0.4 percent over 2015 levels.
• States with December Rural Mainstreet expansions: Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota; States with December Rural Mainstreet contractions: Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, North Dakota and Wyoming, and Minnesota.

 
OMAHA, Neb. (Dec. 15, 2016) – The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index remained weak with a reading below growth neutral for the 16th straight month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.
 
Overall: The index, which ranges between 0 and 100 rose to 42.9, its highest level since June of this year, and up from November’s 36.6.
 
“Weak farm commodity prices continue to slam Rural Mainstreet economies. Over the past 12 months, livestock commodity prices have tumbled by 19.0 percent and grain commodity prices have slumped by 11.5 percent. The economic fallout from this price weakness continues to push growth into negative territory for seven of  the 10 states in the region,” said Ernie Goss, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University's Heider College of Business.
 
States trending higher: Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota; States trending lower: Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota and Wyoming.
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