Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
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Twenty of Iowa’s largest businesses expect sales, capital spending and employment to increase over the next six months, according to a survey released Monday by the Iowa Business Council (IBC).
The IBC is a a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization made up of 24 members, including Allied Insurance, MidAmerican Energy Co., Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa, Rockwell Collins Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and Deere & Co., among others.
Among the survey’s findings:
Eighty percent of the CEOs expect steady or increased business activity over the next six months – substantially higher (5 percent), higher (45 percent), or no change (30 percent). Twenty percent of survey respondents expect sales levels to decrease – lower (15 percent ) or substantially lower (5 percent).
Eighty percent of IBC corporate members expect steady or increased capital spending levels through August 2010 – substantially higher (15 percent), higher (15 percent), or no change (50 percent). Twenty percent of survey respondents expect capital spending, i.e., investments in facilities and equipment, to decrease – lower (15 percent) or substantially lower (5 percent).
Eighty percent expect hiring levels for the next six months to remain steady or grow – substantially higher (zero percent), higher (20 percent), or no change (60 percent). Twenty percent expect employment needs to decrease – lower (20 percent) or substantially lower (zero percent).
The group assigns an overall score to the survey, and according to their calculations, Iowa’s Outlook Survey Index has reached positive territory for the first time since the third quarter of 2008.
The survey was taken during the second half of February. In a statement to the media, Tom Aller, president of Interstate Power & Light and chair of the Iowa Business Council, called the findings an encouraging sign that the economy is improving.
“We are beginning to see a broader base of confidence amongst Iowa’s largest employers,” he said. “Most certainly, issues remain about the strength of a recovery. There is also deep concern about the messages lawmakers are sending to companies that have an interest to locate or expand operations in Iowa. But positive outlooks for both sales and capital spending indicate expectations of improving business prospects for at least the next six months. If policymakers can avoid doing harm to Iowa’s business environment during this fragile time of economic recovery, it’s possible that 2010 will be a significant turning point for commerce in our state.”
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