Chicago Business Barometer™ & Research

Chicago Business Barometer^™ & Research

Monthly Survey - Chicago Business Barometer^™

The ISM Chicago Business Survey, is a regional view of the national economy; is a time-tested, market-moving report. The Chicago Report^™ is available to subscribers on the last working day each month. The Chicago Business Barometer^™ summarizes current Business Activity. The Barometer is considered to be a leading indicator of the U.S.A. economy.

For more than seven decades, the Chicago Business Barometer^™ has been providing leading insight on the U.S. economy. The Chicago Business Barometer^™ is delivered to subscribers via the MNI Chicago Report^™, a monthly report published by MNI Indicators that presents valuable information on the U.S. economic activity and a fresh look at current U.S. business conditions. The report consists of seven Business Activity indicators and three Buying Policy indicators that represent activity and preformance levels compared to the prior month.

Purchasing and Supply Management professionals in the Chicago area, primarily members of ISM Chicago, are polled to assess business conditions for their respective companies every month.

For more information about the Chicago Business Barometer^™ and MNI Indicators products, please contact martindanielb@yahoo.com.

Periodically, ISM Chicago may invite our members and community to participate in additional research.

September - Chicago Business Barometer^™

The Chicago Business Barometer^™ fell 0.9 points to 40.6 in September. The index now sits 0.2 points above the June reading, having now almost fully unwound July's 6.7 point rise. The index still has been below 50 for twenty-two consecutive months.

The decline was driven by another sharp drop in New Orders, alongside declines in Supplier Deliveries and Employment. These dynamics were partly offset by a rises in Production and Order Backlogs.

September special question asked: "Given the risen increases in U.S. borrowing costs, how have changing financial conditions affected your suppliers or clients? Majority 46% answered "No noticeable impact", and 18% answered "Reducing or exiting borrowing due to higher interest costs. See report for balance.

Released September 30, 2025.

Read the Press Release

Fixing the Misalignment Between Supply Chain Leaders and the C-Suite

A disconnection between how supply chains and the C-suite view the role of the supply chain highlight the need for alignment on technology, cost and resilience.

Bridging the gap between supply chain leaders and executives requires reframing the supply chain as a driver of customer value and growth, not just a cost center.

Full Story: Supply Chain Management Review (09/09)

CFOs vs. CPOs: Why they clash and how to bridge the gap

Procurement leaders are tasked with driving resilience, sustainability, and innovation-but CFOs often see only tactical cost control. Bridging this perception gap starts with shared language, aligned KPIs, and financial storytelling that ties procurement directly to enterprise value.

Full Story: Supply Chain Management Review (09/17)

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