Abstract
• The Current Business Confidence Index for 2019 is 81.0%, essentially the same as last year.
• The Forecast Business Confidence Index for 2020 is 77.5%, a drop from the expectations seen the last few years.
• Employment is expected to grow by 0.3% to 0.7% in 2020, an expectation that is less than half the expectation for 2019.
• Overall nominal sales are expected to increase by 2.2%-2.8% for 2020, a slowdown from last 2019.
• Exports are expected to grow by 1.0% to 5% in 2020, increasing from 2019.
• All indicators signal the West Michigan economy will continue to slow heading into 2020, particularly employment growth.
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