Economy
April 29, 2015
Chicago Business Barometer Surprises with Six Point Gain
Written by Sandy Williams
The Chicago Business Barometer rose 6 points to 52.3 in April, beating analyst expectations for a reading of 50. The index fell to a five and a half year low in February before bouncing up five points to 46.3 in March.
The index grew in four of its five components in April with New Orders gaining by double digits. Order backlogs rose strongly but remained under the 50 neutral point. Gains were made in production and employment, which was at its highest level since January. Lead times for supplier deliveries shortened for the second month while days to source production material rose for the second month.
