Economy
September 29, 2017
Chicago Business Barometer Soars in September
Written by Sandy Williams
A sharp rise in the September Chicago Business Barometer indicates a strong fourth quarter for manufacturing. The Barometer rose to 65.2 from 58.9 in August for its second highest level in more than three years. The average reading for the third quarter was a solid 61.0, steady with the second quarter’s three-year high of 61.1.
All the components of the index strengthened in September with particularly strong gains in demand, backlogs and employment. The recent storms slowed delivery times somewhat and led to stockpiling of inventory. The inventory index rose by 8.4 points to its highest level since March, said MNI Indicators.
