Chicago Business Barometer drops in August

The Chicago Business Barometer remains in contraction, slipping 5.6 points to 41.5 in August.

The Barometer is a diffusion index, where a reading above 50 indicates improving business conditions and a reading below that indicates contraction. Summarizing current business activity in the region, it is considered a leading indicator of the broader US economy.

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.