Report Points to Strengthening State Economy
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA BMO Economics report suggests economic activity in Indiana will rebound in 2014. It also points to positive job growth as the auto-sector continues to bounce back. The report from the unit of BMO Financial Group also indicates a drop in the state foreclosure rate and a significant jump in housing starts. April 25, 2014
News Release
CHICAGO, IL, APRIL 25, 2014 – Economic growth remains solid in Indiana as the state boasts impressive job growth and the auto-sector continues to expand according to a special report released today by BMO Economics on the economic output from the Great Lakes region. The report, North America’s Economic Engine, was released to coincide with the Council of Great Lakes Governors meeting, taking place in Chicago on April 25-26, 2014.
The report notes that the region is a major driver of North American economic output, employment and trade, accounting for nearly a third of combined Canadian and U.S. output, jobs and exports.
“The Great Lakes region has so much going for itself with transportation infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, research and development, digital manufacturing, strong locally-rooted financial institutions, and some of the world’s best post-secondary institutions,” said Ambassador David Jacobson, Vice-Chair, BMO Financial Group. “The discussions over the next two days in Chicago will allow us to explore opportunities to create jobs, strengthen trade, open doors to new discoveries, and drive innovation and prosperity for all in the region.”
According to the report, real GDP for the state should expand a slightly above-average 2.8 percent in 2014, before picking up a further 2.9 percent in 2015. Employment continues to recover in Indiana, up 1.6 percent year-over-year in March.
“Nonfarm payrolls in Indiana are now close to pre-recession levels, which is a rarity in a region that is fairly manufacturing-heavy,” said Michael Gregory, Head of U.S. Economics, BMO Capital Markets. “The rebound in the auto sector has played a major role, with durable goods manufacturing employment adding more than 60,000 positions since early 2009. The service sector, however, has been the primary contributor, with strong gains in transportation and warehousing, retail trade and finance.”
With strong job growth, the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.9 percent – down two percentage points from a year earlier – and should be closer to 5.7 percent in 2015.
“The auto sector has played a large role in Indiana’s growth. With U.S. sales rising to their best level in nearly six years in 2013, we saw a solid 7.8 percent year-over-year gain in auto production in the third quarter of last year,” said Mr. Gregory. “The level of output is providing a strong support to Indiana’s industrial base.”
Home prices are recovering, with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) index up one percent year-over-year in the third quarter of 2013 – up three percent from the recession low. The foreclosure rate has dropped in the past year, down a full percentage point, and close to the national average at 3.1 percent. The healthier economic backdrop has helped construction activity, with housing starts totaling nearly 18,000 units in 2013, and increase of 29 percent from the prior year.
To view a full copy of the report, visit www.bmocm.com/economics.
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