More than half of the bankers surveyed in rural parts of 10 Plains and Midwestern states are forecasting a drop in holiday retail sales this year compared to 2019 as the coronavirus pandemic worsens across the country. The Rural Mainstreet Survey’s overall index fell to 46.8 in November from 53.2 in October. Observers say it is the first time that the index has fallen since April. Any index score below 50 suggests that the economic climate is shrinking and contracting while a score above 50 indicates an expanding and growing economy. Both Illinois and Indiana were among the states involved in the RMS.