CHICAGO, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The Chicago Business Barometer indicated business contraction slowed in October in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, the Institute for Supply Management said.
With 50 the dividing point between contraction and expansion, the Chicago association's headline business barometer remained negative at 49.9, but it was closer to break-even than September's mark of 49.7.
Among composite indexes, the production index dropped from a reading of 55.4 to 51.8 while the new orders index rose above neutral, climbing from 47.4 to 50.6.
The employment index showed growth in September at 50.3, but it was slower growth than September when the employment index was at 52.
The report is produced by the Institute of Supply Management-Chicago Inc. and Deutsche Borse AG.
