•New Orders and Production Expand Sharply to Highes t Since October •Employment Rebounds Amid Increased Orders and Prod uction The Chicago Business Barometer increased to 63.0 in April from 55.9 in March, the fastest pace of growth for six months, led by sharp rises in New Orders and Production. April’s gain, the second strongest outturn in two a nd a half years, left the three month trend in the Barometer just below the 60 level, con sistent with continued recovery of the US economy. New Orders and Production increased sharply, while improvements in Order Backlogs and Employment also added to the month’s strong per ... (full story)