Utah's economy saw continued growth in May

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Business conditions in Utah suggested the state saw some continued growth in its economy in May, according to a report released Friday.

The index of overall business conditions in Utah remained at a solid 55.3, down only slightly from 56.0 in April, according to the Goss Institute for Economic Research, which cited a survey of Institute of Supply Managers (ISM) members in the state.

And index number of 50 is considered growth neutral.

Individual components of the Business Conditions Index were:

• New orders — 53.4

• Production, sales — 54.5

• Delivery lead time — 55.8

• Inventories — 52.8, and

• Employment — 60

"Durable goods producers continue to experience health expansion in economic acvitity," said Ernie Goss, an economist and director of the institute. "Metal producers in particular, are detailing upturns in jobs and overall business activity."

Goss reported that for the past 31 months, the overall index for the Mountain States region, which along with Utah includes Colorado and Wyoming, also advanced above growth neutral.