MNI: 5 Things We Learned From Nov MNI Chicago Biz Barometer

     LONDON (MNI) - The following are the key points from the November MNI

Chicago Business Barometer:

     - Should the Dec Barometer come in above 50, the index would have had the

first full year of above-50 readings in three years and only the fourth above-60

Q4 reading in the last decade.  

     - The Prices Paid indicator delivered its highest Jan-Nov average for six

years. This November's reading was up 20% on last November. 

     - Amid the impending holiday season, both Inventories and Supplier

Deliveries picked up in November, with the latter expanding at a pace last seen

higher over 13 years ago. 

     - Only 23% of businesses said a near-term rise in Fed fund rates would be

harmful to their operations, citing lower exports and tighter access to credit

as potential concerns.    

     - The Employment component returned to expansion territory having dipped

below the neutral-50 mark for only the fourth time this year in October. There

was evidence of pay structures obstructing managers' hiring plans as well as

some firms again turning to temps.    

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203-586-2226; email: jamie.satchithanantham@marketnews.com

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