MNI Indicators released a report on Wednesday showing Chicago-area business activity unexpectedly contracted at an accelerated rate in the month of January.
The report said the Chicago business barometer slipped to 46.0 in January from an upwardly revised 47.2 in December, with a reading below 50 indicating a contraction.
The modest decrease surprised economists, who had expected the Chicago business barometer to rise to 48.0 from the 46.9 originally reported for the previous month.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.