Financial News: Chicago Business Barometer Unexpectedly Plunges To Eight-M

Chicago Business Barometer Unexpectedly Plunges To Eight-Month Low In August

08/28/2026 - 10:15:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - MNI Indicators released a report on Friday unexpectedly showing a sharp pullback by its reading on Chicago-area business activity in the month of August.

The report said the Chicago business barometer plunged to 47.1 in August from 57.6 in July, with a reading below 50 indicating contraction. Economists had expected the index to rise to 59.0.

With the unexpected slump, the Chicago business barometer returned to contraction territory for the first time since April and hit its lowest level since December.

MNI Indicators said the steep drop by the Chicago business barometer was driven by declines by the new orders, order backlogs, production and supplier deliveries indexes.

The new orders index plummeted by 15.4 points, the order backlogs index tumbled by 12.1 points and the production index slumped by 8.8 points.

The order backlogs and production indexes dropped to their lowest levels since November, with the production index recording its first contractionary reading since December.

The report said the supplier deliveries index also eased by 2.6 points but remained in expansionary territory for the nineteenth consecutive month.

Meanwhile, the employment index climbed by 4.3 points to its first expansionary reading in five months, providing some positive offset.

MNI Indicators said the prices paid index also rose by 3.8 points to its highest level since February 2022.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

Market News provided by RTTNews

RECENT INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL NEWS

Ten-Year Note Auction Attracts Well Above Average Demand (02 hr(s), 31 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - A day after reporting above average demand for this month's three-year note auctio ...Full Story»

Latvia Trade Gap Widens In July (06 hr(s), 12 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Latvia's foreign trade deficit increased in July from a year ago, as exports grew ...Full Story»

Motor Vehicles Drive Slovakia Industrial Growth To 2.4% In July (06 hr(s), 26 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Slovakia's industrial output expanded for the second straight month in July, drive ...Full Story»

Portugal Trade Gap Narrows In July (06 hr(s), 40 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Portugal's foreign trade shortfall decreased in July from a year ago as exports gr ...Full Story»

Taiwan Trade Surplus Grows In August (07 hr(s), 02 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Taiwan's foreign trade surplus increased in August from a year ago, preliminary fi ...Full Story»

Lithuania Trade Deficit Narrows In July (08 hr(s), 22 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Lithuania's foreign trade deficit decreased in July from a year ago as exports gre ...Full Story»

Romania Trade Gap Widens In July (08 hr(s), 45 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Romania's foreign trade deficit increased somewhat in July from a year ago as impo ...Full Story»

Japan Machine Tool Orders Surge 64.7% (08 hr(s), 59 min(s), 45 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Japan's machine tool order growth accelerated sharply in August, preliminary data ...Full Story»