Exports up, manufacturing down (ECI Biz Blog)

This post from ECI Biz Blog caught my eye earlier this week, Exports up, manufacturing down. For those of you interested in our local ans state economy, I think the article has some interesting points.

In Michael Hicks' column for this Sunday's Star Press Business section, the director of the Bureau of Business Research at Ball State University talks about the importance of exports to Indiana's economy."

In Michael Hicks' column for this Sunday's Star Press Business section, the director of the Bureau of Business Research at Ball State University talks about the importance of exports to Indiana's economy.

"About 7.1 percent of Indiana jobs are directly dependent on exporting goods overseas," Hicks writes. "Almost one in five manufacturing workers makes goods directly for foreign consumers."

An Indiana University study that's just been released suggests that Indiana exports are growing at a faster pace this year

"In the first six months of 2007, Indiana exported $12.9 billion worth of goods, for a year-over-year increase of 10.6 percent. The reports for the first half of 2007 seem to indicate that exports from Indiana may have rebounded," according to the report. "If the second half of 2007 matches the performance of the first half, 2007 will prove to be a banner year for Indiana exports. At the current rate, the value of exports in 2007 will exceed last year's value by about $3 billion."

At the same time, manufacturing jobs are fewer in number, Indianapolis Business Journal reports.