From February through May, the WSU Leading Economic Indicators Index dropped 3.2 percent. If this trend continues, we could see a dip in the Wichita economy toward the end of this year. The indicators that negatively impacted the Index from April to May were the number of initial unemployment claims, consumer confidence, the number of hours worked in manufacturing, the Aerospace Stock Index, and wheat prices. The real value of residential building permits, which increased 70.2 percent from April to May, provided a buffer to the Index that moderated May’s decline.
