(NAFB.com) – The Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above a growth-neutral score of 50.0 for January. That’s according to the latest monthly survey of bank CEO’s in rural areas of a ten-state region. The January index was at 52.0, its highest reading since July 2023, and up from December’s 50.1. After rising above growth-neutral in December, the farm and ranchland index fell below the threshold in January with a reading of 46.0. The farm equipment sales index sank to a very weak 18.8, but was up from December’s even weaker 15.0.