(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Business Council’s (IBC) second-quarter Economic Outlook Survey shows some declines in what members are expecting in the next six months. I-B-C president Joe Murphy says there are some concerns. “Expectations across sales, capitol spending and employment expectations all declined from the previous quarter’s report,” he says. Murphy says much of the concern in those three measures stems from what’s going on at the national economy, including inflation and other issues.

“While we do have these perpetual concerns around the economy, the Iowa Business Council is one again projecting a positive six-month outlook for Iowa’s economy,” Murphy says.

Concerns about workforce attraction and retention remain the number one concern, with 63 percent of the surveyed executives listing it as a primary business challenge. An unfavorable business climate (national supply chain, infrastructure, and federal regulations) was cited by 47 percent of I-B-C executives while challenges surrounding inflation and growing concerns about the domestic economy tied with 32 percent to round out the top three primary business concerns. Murphy says the overall positive outlook is based on Iowa’s economy that has been stronger than other states.

“Revenue receipts continue to perform well from a tax standpoint. Companies are expanding, and that fact that we have a well diversified economy enables us to weather some of these economic conditions much better than our neighbors in the Midwest, and certainly around the rest of the country,” Murphy says.

The Iowa Business Council has 22 members who are the chief decision makers of major Iowa employers which have more than 160-thousand workers.