The Chicago Business BarometerTM, produced with MNI, declined by 1.1 points in March, marking a ninth consecutive sub-50 reading. However, business sentiment rose marginally by 0.2 points to 46.6 in Q1. Among the main five indicators, Production and New Orders saw the only monthly declines, while Supplier Deliveries recorded the largest gain. Production shifted back into contraction in March after February’s rise above the 50-mark and demand for New Orders dropped by 7.9%. While some firms reported a rise in orders due to stockpiling by US customers, others noted a fall in new business COVID-19. Order Backlogs ... (full story)