ISM-Chicago Business Survey, 2009 July

7/31/2009

The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the CHICAGO BUSINESS BAROMETER improved as the rate of decline slowed, with the highest reading since September 2008.

BUSINESS ACTIVITY:

PRICES PAID and ORDER BACKLOG indexes declined;
NEW ORDERS index jumped, while EMPLOYMENT rate of decline slowed;
INVENTORIES index was the lowest since mid-1949.

BUYING POLICY:

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT lead-times were lowest since November 2004.