Indianapolis
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Indianapolis yper-fi x, a downtown interstate in the metro area were not in manufacturing highway project, was completed but in professional and business services, as with such effi ciency that it has well as in leisure and hospitality. Hbeen forgotten. The relocation of I-70 Professional and business services include alongside the airport is in progress and travel agents, computer systems designers, causing few problems. The U.S. 421 and custom computer programming, advertising, I-465 interchange was fi nally completed and telemarketing—all activities that have after a seemingly endless period of time. been most adversely affected by the business Even the resurfacing of Binford Boulevard cycle, major restructuring, or regulatory is being undertaken with minimal disruption. changes. Manufacturing lost only 1,800 jobs in These have been the most visible changes in the past year, while business and professional Indianapolis during 2003. services lost 7,900 jobs and the leisure and Morton J. Marcus hospitality sector dropped 4,700 jobs. Employment Director Emeritus, Indiana Less visible was the loss of 17,600 jobs in Building Permits Business Research the nine-county Indianapolis area between Residential construction seems to be Center, Kelley School of September 2002 and the same month this booming everywhere in the metro area. Yet, Business, Indiana University, year. This was a 2 percent decline, compared despite appearances, it has been down in Bloomington, Indianapolis, to a national employment drop of just 0.3 2003 from 2002 levels. Of 330 metro areas and Gary percent and a 1.7 percent decline for all for which we have building permit data, eleven Indiana metro areas. Indianapolis ranked 225th with a 1.7 percent The Indianapolis 2 percent decline decline in units authorized. As seen in Figure ranked 243rd among the nation’s 275 3, this does not compare favorably with other metro areas. Milwaukee ranked 250th, but metro areas in the U.S. (8.5 percent) or the other competitive areas in the Midwest all Midwest. surpassed Indianapolis (see Figure 1). Contrary to the popular notion, Establishments and Wages manufacturing was not the prime cause of job Less recent data also confi rm a weaker losses in the Indianapolis metro area. As seen performance in the Indianapolis metro area in Figure 2, the biggest percentage declines than might have been expected. Employer Figure 1 Percent Change in Jobs in Twelve Largest Midwestern Figure 2 Metro Areas, September 2002 to September 2003 Percent Change in Jobs, September 2002 to September 2003 0.5 Total Nonfarm 0.0 Manufacturing All 275 metro areas Indianapolis -0.5 Wholesale Trade Retail Trade -1.0 Transportation & Utilities Percent Change -1.5 Information Financial Activities -2.0 Professional & Business Services -2.5 Educational & Health Services Leisure & Hospitality Chicago, ILDetroit, MI St. Louis, MO Columbus,Indianapolis, OH Cincinnati, IN OH Kansas City, MO Other Services Dayton-Springfield, OH Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Government Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria, OH -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI Percent Change Outlook 2004 Indiana Business Review 19 Kokomo reports from the Department of Workforce Kathy Parkison Development for the fi rst quarter of 2003 indicate that the Indianapolis metro area Associate Professor of Economics and added 610 establishments over the course Director, Center for Economic Education, of the year when compared with the same Indiana University, Kokomo quarter in 2002. This was a prodigious 53 percent of the total increase in establishments s noted in the international, national, Figure 1 for the twelve metro areas of the state (New and state economies, the recovery Kokomo Metro Area Building Permits Albany-Jeffersonville is counted as a metro is offi cially on, the economy is area for these purposes). But when we look at Aperking upward, and we expect continued 350 the total payroll of all establishments in these growth. However, the Kokomo economy, while twelve metro areas, the Indianapolis area improving, is still lagging a bit behind Indiana 300 contributed only 7 percent to the increase and the nation. they enjoyed. Average weekly wages in the Kokomo’s economy remains heavily 250 Indianapolis area rose by a mere 0.6 percent, weighted toward manufacturing. Employment the lowest increase of all twelve areas. in manufacturing industries peaked statewide October Year-to-Date in May 2000, and while recent losses have 200 2003 Prospects for 2004 been much less than before (with some 2002 Despite a lagging economic performance months even posting gains), employment is 150 in the past year, Indianapolis may be better still not anywhere close to its peak. So like the positioned for growth in the coming year than rest of the state, individuals and fi rms in the other Indiana metro areas. With a diversifi ed area remain apprehensive about the economy 100 employment base, the Hoosier capital stands and what it holds for them personally. While to gain from major ongoing construction at the unemployment in the area peaked in 2002 50 airport and an attractive retail environment, and has since dropped to about 5 percent, which continues to attract shoppers from a those numbers are still up from the pre- 0 wide radius. recession lows of about 2.5 percent. Many All permits 1 unit 2 units 3 and 4 5 or more Even if the Indianapolis area were to add of these job losses will be permanent due jobs only at the same rate as the rest of the to increasing productivity and job losses to state (forecast to be a modest 1 percent), the overseas. production at the DaimlerChrysler plants—an metro area would see a growth of 7,700 jobs. On the local front, the moves by the important part of this local economy. In If the state were to grow faster, say 2 percent, Fed to keep the lower interest rates and addition, low interest rates have allowed there is a good chance that Indianapolis the incentives offered by the automobile consumers to continue buying homes, would grow faster than the state and could manufacturers have kept auto sales refi nancing, and making home improvements. see 18,000 net new jobs in 2004. fairly robust. This has protected jobs and This can be seen all over the area in new home construction, building permit numbers, Figure 3 and new building construction (see Figure Change in Residential Units Authorized, Year-to-Date September 2002 to September 2003 1). Help wanted signs are even beginning to appear in store windows. While these may 330 MSAs not be the high-dollar manufacturing jobs Louisville, KY-IN that the area would like to see, it is at least Nashville, TN encouraging to see hiring occurring and fi rms looking for employees. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Although the state and local loss of Kansas City, MO-KS manufacturing jobs is still troubling, we think Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI that the worst of the economic news is behind Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI the region and we are optimistic about 2004. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Given the latest productivity numbers, GDP and labor fi gures, it seems that the national Columbus, OH and state economies are poised to grow and Indianapolis, IN this will certainly also be true of the local St. Louis, MO-IL economy. Unlike last year’s forecast which -2024681012was rather wishy-washy, this next year is Percent Change predicted to be much better for the region. 20 Indiana Business Review Outlook 2004.