Chicago PMI picks up in July

(Sharecast News) - Economic activity in the Chicago area picked up in July, according to data released on Thursday. The MNI Chicago business barometer rose 6.7 points from June to 47.1 in July.

This was the largest increase in thirteen months, taking the index to the highest since March 2025 and beating expectations for a reading of 42.

However, it remained below the 50 mark that separates contraction from expansion for the 20th month in a row.

The increase was driven by a sharp jump in new orders and order backlogs, while production, employment and supplier deliveries all saw small declines.