The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

OMAHA, NEB. (AP) -- A regional business conditions index slipped last month but still suggests a growing economy in the months ahead.

A report on the Midwest Business Conditions survey of supply managers and business leaders in a nine-state region was released Monday morning.

The report says the index slipped to a still-healthy 61.7 from 64.3 in March. It was the fifth straight month that the index
remained above growth neutral. The index ranges from zero to 100. Any score above 50 suggests economic growth in the next three to six months, while a score below 50 suggests a contracting economy in the coming months.

The nine states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)