Still improving. That's the latest word on the Greater Grand Rapids economy, according to the data collected in the last two weeks of September. New orders, our closely watched index of business improvement, rose to +31, the highest the index has been since May 2006. The production index fared better as well, rising to +38 from +34. Activity in the purchasing offices moderated to +24, down from +33. The index of employment remained positive for the second time in two years, although it moderated to +14 from +19. Just as last month, 31 percent of respondents reported that employment levels are rising. |