Economy
Chicago Business Barometer Climbs in January
Written by Sandy Williams
January 29, 2021
Business activity accelerated in the Chicago area in January, says the latest analysis by MNI Indicators and the Institute for Supply Management. The Chicago Business Barometer jumped 5.1 points to 63.8, its highest level since July 2018.
Production soared 9.9 points along with a 7.9-point surge in new orders. Order backlogs expanded for a third month, gaining 5.9 points and reaching a 23-month high.
Inventories rose above the 50 no-change mark for the first time since May, gaining 6.2 points for the highest index level since October 2018. The supplier delivery index eased slightly, but firms continued to report logistical issues and delays.
The employment index dropped 4.5 points for a 19th consecutive month in contraction.
Factory gate prices rose 1.7 points to their highest level since September 2018. Higher steel prices, in particular, were cited by manufacturing firms.
The latest surge in COVID infection rates had little to no impact on most manufacturers in January.
Below is a graph showing the history of the Chicago Business Barometer. You will need to view the graph on our website to use its interactive features; you can do so by clicking here. If you need assistance logging into or navigating the website, please contact us at info@SteelMarketUpdate.com.
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Economy
Steel groups welcome passage of budget bill
Steel trade groups praised the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) in Congress on Thursday.
Industry groups praise Senate for passing tax and budget bill
The Steel Manufacturers Association and the American Iron and Steel Institute applauded the tax provisions included in the Senate's tax and budget reconciliation bill.
Chicago PMI dips 0.1 points in June
The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) slipped 0.1 points to 40.4 points, in June.
Multi-family pullback drives housing starts to 5-year low in May
US housing starts tumbled in May to a five-year low, according to figures recently released by the US Census Bureau.
Architecture firms still struggling, ABI data shows
Architecture firms reported a modest improvement in billings through May, yet business conditions remained soft, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) release from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.