Chicago Business Activity Sinks in August

2026-08-28 13:57 By Luisa Carvalho 1 min. read

The Chicago Business Barometer plunged to 47.1 in August 2026 from 57.6 in July and missing market forecasts of 58.3.

The latest data pointed to a renewed contraction in business activity and the steepest since December 2025.

New orders declined sharply, dropping 15.4 points, but still above April's low.

The production gauge slipped 8.8 points, recording its first and sizeable contraction since last December.

Meanwhile, supplier deliveries eased 2.6 points, but remained in expansion for the 19th consecutive month.

On a more positive note, employment rose 4.3 points, moving into positive territory for the first time in five months, although the improvement was marginal.

On the price front, price pressures intensified.

Prices paid jumped 3.8 points to their highest level since February 2022, with some firms reporting higher metal costs.



News Stream
Chicago Business Activity Sinks in August
The Chicago Business Barometer plunged to 47.1 in August 2026 from 57.6 in July and missing market forecasts of 58.3. The latest data pointed to a renewed contraction in business activity and the steepest since December 2025. New orders declined sharply, dropping 15.4 points, but still above April's low. The production gauge slipped 8.8 points, recording its first and sizeable contraction since last December. Meanwhile, supplier deliveries eased 2.6 points, but remained in expansion for the 19th consecutive month. On a more positive note, employment rose 4.3 points, moving into positive territory for the first time in five months, although the improvement was marginal. On the price front, price pressures intensified. Prices paid jumped 3.8 points to their highest level since February 2022, with some firms reporting higher metal costs.
2026-08-28
Chicago Business Barometer Rises in July
The Chicago Business Barometer rose to 57.6 in July 2026 from 56.7 in the previous month, remaining in expansionary territory for a third straight month and topping market expectations of 56.0. The increase was driven by new orders, which climbed to their highest level since January 2022. Meanwhile, supplier deliveries weakened, while order backlogs slipped back into contraction after two months above the neutral 50 mark. Employment remained in contraction for a fifth consecutive month, falling to its lowest level since March, while production eased but stayed in expansion. Prices paid was little changed, as respondents continued to cite geopolitical tensions and elevated energy costs despite signs of improving price stability.
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Chicago Business Activity Slows in June
The Chicago Business Barometer fell to 56.7 in June 2026 from 62.7 in the previous month. The decline was driven by weaker new orders, which remained in expansion for a second consecutive month, and slowing production that nearly reversed the previous month's gain. The downturn was partly offset by increases in supplier deliveries, reflecting longer lead times linked to the Middle East conflict, as well as gains in order backlogs and employment. Meanwhile, prices paid edged higher, driven by rising oil and metal prices.
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