After a strong start to the year, growth in Chicago-area business activity saw a much bigger than expected slowdown in the month of March, according to a report released by the Institute for Supply Management - Chicago on Thursday.
The ISM Chicago said its business barometer fell to 52.4 in March from 56.8 in February, although a reading above 50 indicates an increase in business activity. Economists had been expecting the business barometer to edge down to 56.1.
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April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.