The Chicago Business Barometer fell to 52.8 in March 2026 from a near four-year high of 57.7 in February and below market estimates of 55. This marked the third consecutive month of growth in Chicago's economic activity, though the pace of expansion slowed significantly from the previous month. New orders and output continued to grow, but at a slower pace, while workforce numbers decreased. Meanwhile, order backlogs reached levels not seen since December 2022. On the price front, prices paid accelerated to its highest since December.