Chicago Business Barometer™ - Tempered to 46.0 in January
The Chicago Business Barometer™, produced with MNI tempered by -1.2 points to 46.0 from December’s revised figure of 47.2.
The Chicago Business Barometer™, produced with MNI tempered by -1.2 points to 46.0 from December’s revised figure of 47.2. This is the second consecutive monthly fall, keeping the Chicago ReportTM in contractionary territory, although still +0.6 points above the 2023 average and above the levels seen in both September 2023 and October 2023.
PRODUCTION FALLS BACK INTO CONTRACTION; ORDER BACKLOGS HIGHEST SINCE APRIL 2023
Production fell -9.9 points to 48.7 points, reentering contractionary territory, and is the lowest since October 2023.
Order Backlogs grew +2.8 points. With the exception of November 2023, this is the highest since April 2023.
PRICES PAID SLIPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SEPTEMBER 2023 AND INVENTORIES LOWEST SINCE JULY 2023
Supplier Deliveries inched up +1.0 points. Again, with the exception of November 2023 this was the highest since April 2023 and the third consecutive month in expansionary territory.
New Orders saw a small increase of +1.4 points, remaining in contractionary territory. However, New Orders remain above the 2023 average of 44.1.
Employment crept up +0.5 points to 46.7 points.
Inventories (which are not included in the calculation for the headline index) declined -3.1 points, the lowest since July 2023.
Prices paid slipped for the first time since September 2023 by -4.1 points to 63.9 points.
The survey ran from January 2 to January 17.