The WSU Current Conditions Index dropped 0.7 percent from September to October. Although employment increased slightly, 0.4 percent, and the unemployment rate dropped 0.8 percentage points, these improvements were not enough to counter the negative impact of a 21.7 percent decline in the number of home sales in the Wichita area for that time period.
When comparing the 12 months ending in October to the previous 12 months, the decline in home sales appears less bleak, with only a 7.6 percent decrease. During that same time period, the overall Index value declined only 0.2 percent, reflecting some stability among the Index indicators.