The Chicago Business Barometer climbed to 58.8 in September 2026 from 47.1 in August and well above forecasts of 51.2, marking a renewed expansion in Chicago's business activity. This was the strongest pace of growth since May, as production expanded 15.5 points to the highest level since May, returning to expansionary territory after contracting in August. Also, new orders rose 13.3 points, with some respondents citing a seasonal improvement in demand. Supplier deliveries rose 9.6 points, extending their growth to a 20th consecutive month, while inventories edged down. Meanwhile, employment fell 4.3 points, returning to contraction after one month of expansion. Fewer respondents reported higher employment, while reports of workforce cuts edged up, with some citing outsourcing. Prices paid eased 3.7 points to around July’s level, but price pressures remained elevated. source: Institute for Supply Management

Chicago PMI in the United States increased to 58.80 points in September from 47.10 points in August of 2026. Chicago PMI in the United States averaged 54.27 points from 1967 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 81.00 points in November of 1973 and a record low of 20.70 points in June of 1980. This page provides the latest reported value for - United States Chicago PMI - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Chicago PMI in the United States increased to 58.80 points in September from 47.10 points in August of 2026. Chicago PMI in the United States is expected to be 46.90 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the United States Chicago PMI is projected to trend around 52.00 points in 2027 and 53.00 points in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Related Last Previous Unit Reference
ISM Manufacturing PMI 54.50 54.60 points Sep 2026
ISM Manufacturing Employment 52.70 51.20 points Sep 2026
ISM Manufacturing New Orders 55.30 53.70 points Sep 2026
ISM Manufacturing Prices 77.90 71.10 points Sep 2026
ISM Services Business Activity 56.50 61.70 points Sep 2026
ISM Services Employment 50.10 47.80 points Sep 2026
ISM Services New Orders 59.80 60.90 points Sep 2026
ISM Services Prices 74.00 72.60 points Sep 2026


United States Chicago PMI
The Chicago PMI (ISM-Chicago Business Barometer) measures the performance of the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sector in the Chicago region. The Index is computed from five weighted raw indexes: Production (0.25), New Orders (0.35), Order Backlog (0.15), Employment (0.10), and Supplier Deliveries (0.15) and then seasonally adjusted to support month-to-month comparisons. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion; below 50 represents a contraction; while 50 indicates no change. Chicago PMI is released one day before the ISM Manufacturing Index.

News Stream
Chicago Business Activity Rises More than Expected
The Chicago Business Barometer climbed to 58.8 in September 2026 from 47.1 in August and well above forecasts of 51.2, marking a renewed expansion in Chicago's business activity. This was the strongest pace of growth since May, as production expanded 15.5 points to the highest level since May, returning to expansionary territory after contracting in August. Also, new orders rose 13.3 points, with some respondents citing a seasonal improvement in demand. Supplier deliveries rose 9.6 points, extending their growth to a 20th consecutive month, while inventories edged down. Meanwhile, employment fell 4.3 points, returning to contraction after one month of expansion. Fewer respondents reported higher employment, while reports of workforce cuts edged up, with some citing outsourcing. Prices paid eased 3.7 points to around July’s level, but price pressures remained elevated.
2026-09-30
Chicago Business Activity Sinks in August
The Chicago Business Barometer plunged to 47.1 in August 2026 from 57.6 in July and missing market forecasts of 58.3. The latest data pointed to a renewed contraction in business activity and the steepest since December 2025. New orders declined sharply, dropping 15.4 points, but still above April's low. The production gauge slipped 8.8 points, recording its first and sizeable contraction since last December. Meanwhile, supplier deliveries eased 2.6 points, but remained in expansion for the 19th consecutive month. On a more positive note, employment rose 4.3 points, moving into positive territory for the first time in five months, although the improvement was marginal. On the price front, price pressures intensified. Prices paid jumped 3.8 points to their highest level since February 2022, with some firms reporting higher metal costs.
2026-08-28
Chicago Business Barometer Rises in July
The Chicago Business Barometer rose to 57.6 in July 2026 from 56.7 in the previous month, remaining in expansionary territory for a third straight month and topping market expectations of 56.0. The increase was driven by new orders, which climbed to their highest level since January 2022. Meanwhile, supplier deliveries weakened, while order backlogs slipped back into contraction after two months above the neutral 50 mark. Employment remained in contraction for a fifth consecutive month, falling to its lowest level since March, while production eased but stayed in expansion. Prices paid was little changed, as respondents continued to cite geopolitical tensions and elevated energy costs despite signs of improving price stability.
2026-07-31