A survey report suggests the economy is growing slowly in nine midwest and plains states as the U.S. China Trade War continues. The Mid-America business conditions index rebounded to 50.6 in December from 48.6 in November. Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says the trade war and the global economic slowdown will be a drag on the overall Mid-America economy for the first half of 2020. But he expects overall regional growth to remain soft but positive, particularly with the signing of the first phase of the China Trade Deal, expected in a couple weeks. Survey organizers say any index score above 50 suggests growth, a score below 50 suggests decline.
