Bloomberg Businessweek (04/30/14) Shobhana Chandra
Increasing demand for durable goods and a jump in orders, production, and employment caused Chicago-area manufacturing activity to expand in April at its fastest pace in six months. The Institute for Supply Management-Chicago Inc.’s business barometer increased from 55.9 in March to 63.0 last month, the highest reading since October. Forty-nine economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast the barometer would rise to 57. A reading above 50 signals expansion.