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Chicago Business Barometer – Expanded to 66.3 in March
The Chicago Business BarometerTM, produced with MNI, rose to 66.3 in March, the highest level since July 2018. Through Q1 the index gained 4.4 points to 63.2, the strongest reading since Q3 2018. Among the main five indicators, Production saw the largest gain, while Order Backlogs saw the biggest drop. Production jumped 10.1 points in March and now stands at a 3-year high, while production increased to 68.4 in Q1, its highest level since Q4 2017. New Orders increased 7.1 points in March, while the quarterly index improved to 61.3 in Q1. Companies were optimistic in March and noted that business is picking up. Order ... (full story)