This article was originally written by Doug Short. From 2016-2022, it was improved upon and updated by Jill Mislinski. Starting in January 2023, AP Charts pages will be maintained by Jennifer Nash at Advisor Perspectives/VettaFi.
The latest Chicago Purchasing Manager's Index, or the Chicago Business Barometer, dropped to 43.6 in February from 44.3 in January, marking the sixth straight month in contraction territory. This reading comes in below the Investing.com forecast of 45.0.
The Chicago PMI assess the business conditions and the economic health of the manufacturing sector in the Chicago region. A value above 50.0 indicate expanding manufacturing activity, while a value below 50.0 indicate contracting manufacturing activity.
