The August WSU Current Conditions and Leading Economic Indices are now available at index.CEDBR.org.

The current index is down 0.2 percent from May to June, and economic activity is at approximately the same level as in June 2012. Total non-farm employment has been in a downward trend since April, with the level of employment in the Wichita area declining by 2,800 workers between April and June.

Consequently, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the Wichita MSA increased 0.1 percentage point during the same time period.

The leading index also declined from April to June, by 0.2 percent. This indicates that economic activity is not anticipated to grow before year end in the Wichita area.

This can be attributed to a decline in the Kansas Leading Index of 77.8 percent from June 2012 to June 2013, as well as a 0.7 percent decline in the Aircraft Production Index of 0.7 percent from May to June.

The Center for Economic Development and Business Research has compiled the current and leading indices to provide insights into the present and future state of the Wichita economy. The WSU Current Conditions Index is designed to give an indication of the present conditions of the Wichita metropolitan area economy.

The WSU Leading Economic Indicators Index is designed to give an indication of where the Wichita economy is headed over the next six months.