St. Cloud Times — St. Cloud area firms remain optimistic about future economic conditions as business activity appears to have improved in recent months.
With employment growing at 1.5 percent over the past 12 months, the area continues to demonstrate its ability to create jobs. Construction, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, professional and business services, and educational and health sectors led the area in employment growth while manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and information industries shed jobs. The leading economic indicator series stabilized in the last quarter. Area firms expect less wage and price pressures and continued difficulty attracting qualified workers over the next six months.
