MNI Chicago Business Barometer 47.1 Sep.....>

US DATA: MNI Chicago Business Barometer 47.1 Sep Vs 50.4 Aug

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-Business confidence dropped below the 50-mark to 47.3 in Q3, leaving the

index at the lowest level on a quarterly basis since Q3 2009.

--Supplier Deliveries and Employment are the only Business Activity

components higher on the month, increasing to 54.8 and 45.6, respectively.

--Production saw the largest decline, falling by 15.8% or 7.6 points, to

40.4, the lowest since May 2009.

--Demand slowed in September, indicated by a sharp fall in New Orders,

which shifted back into contraction by ticking down 7.6 points to 48.5.

--Inventories slipped further into contraction, with the index lower by

6.2% to 41.7. The index hit a forty-month low in September, highlighting that

firms continued to run down inventories.

--This month's special question asked firms how see supplier delivery times

faring in the next three months. The majority (65%) expect supplier delivery

times to remain unch, while 24% see longer times and 11% forecast shorter times.