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JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.1 points in April to 95.9, below its 52-year average of 98.0 for the second consecutive month. The Uncertainty Index fell four points from March to 88, remaining well above its historical average of 68.   “Inflationary pressures continue to be a challenge for Main Street,” […]

KANSAS CITY – The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest Region advanced 0.8 percent in April, the Kansas City office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.     The energy index was up 5.7 percent, led by higher prices for gasoline. The index for all items less

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The cost of hiring fieldwork in Missouri has risen an average of 9 percent  since 2023, according to an update to University of Missouri Extension’s Custom Rates for Farm Services in Missouri.     Notable changes include increases in fertilizer and chemical application rates. Since 2023, reported charges in these categories have risen