National

Two-State Region Shows Growth, Wholesale Inflation Expected to Climb

The Mid-American Business Conditions Index for June evidence of economic growth slowing pace despite reporting the region’s overall index climbed above growth neutral for the fifth month in a row. The survey, published by Creighton University, showed the Business Conditions… more

SBA Probe: More than $200 Billion in Pandemic Loans Were Fraudulent

The inspector general for the U.S. Small Business Administration says the agency disbursed more than $200 billion in potentially fraudulent COVID-19 loans through various programs rushed into existence at the dawn of the 2020 pandemic. In a new report issued… more

Fed Stress Test Show Biggest Banks Positioned to Withstand a Crisis

The Federal Reserve System has released results of its annual banking stress test for 2023, showing that 23 large banks assessed had sufficient capital to absorb more than $540 billion in losses and continue lending to households and businesses under… more

Tighter Bank Lending Expected Across 2023, Monetary Policy Report

The Federal Reserve’s semiannual Monetary Policy Report released this month claims the banking system remains resilient, however, concerns about liquidity positions, deposit outflows, and funding costs continue to plague the economy. In the report, the Fed noted the recent banking… more

Bunge Enters Multi Billion Agri-Trading Merger With Viterra

Saint Louis food company Bunge Ltd. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with Netherlands-based Viterra Ltd., in an effort to create an agribusiness powerhouse. The mega deal will create a global agribusiness company to compete in complex markets… more

New Refrigerated Warehouses Planned

Kansas City’s logistics scene has been red-hot for a long time, but there will soon be a chill in the air. No, not because things are slowing down; it’s coming from a new collaboration between Canadian Pacific Kansas City and… more

Home Sales Surge; Prices Back on Upswing

Prospective home buyers seem to have adjusted to rising interest rates, as fresh Census data showed that new home sales in May rose 12.2 percent month-over-month. Home builder confidence has been increasing over the past few months, and for good… more

Q&A with Paul Malir, TranSystems’ Newest Acquisition

Q: How long has TranSystem been in talks with this engineering firm WBCM and what are you looking for when acquiring a group like this?  A: We have been engaged with WBCM for a little over a year now and… more

CDC Ranks Depression Rates by State; Missouri, Kansas Figures a Concern

New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that nearly 19 percent of adults in the U.S. were experiencing some form of depression in 2020—a year in which the pandemic restrictions added huge stresses to career… more

What Does More Housing Starts Mean For Buyers and Builders?

With the recent surge of housing starts from builders, the market is looking in a lot better shape and could be a just big enough foundation for consumers to jump on board. New residential housing starts for May 2023 gained… more