Though its above-growth-neutral streak continued for the 19th consecutive month in June, the Business Conditions Index for the nine-state Mid-America region fell to 54.9 from 60.2 in May.

Based on a mathematical average of indexes for new orders, production or sales, employment, inventories and delivery lead time, the index found that high energy prices and the national debt are cutting into consumers’ economic optimism.

Weather-related issues took their toll on inventories in May, and 26 percent of supply managers indicated that deliveries had been negatively affected. Only 4 percent of companies reported that they had cut back on operations due to flooding, said Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss, who oversees the index.

In Iowa, the Business Conditions Index remained above growth neutral for the 18th straight month with a reading of 61.4. However, that was down from 65.6 in May and 69.7 in April.

“Since bottoming out in December 2009, the Iowa economy has added more than 22,000 jobs for a 1.5 percent gain,” Goss said. “Based on our surveys, I expect the state to continue to add jobs with an employment increase of more than 23,000, or 1.6 percent, for the rest of 2011.”