Federal Reserve data recently reported that industrial production in the United States increased 0.6 percent in the month of April. Remarkably, this was the fourth straight month showing a gain.
While this news presents optimism for the nation as a whole, recent data from the Chicago Purchasing Managers’ Index (CPMI) indicates a contraction of the sector here in the Prairie State. The CPMI Index, also known as the Chicago Business Barometer, is a measurement of the economic health of Chicagoland’s manufacturing sector. Last month, the CPMI Index failed to hit it’s expected benchmark score of 53.
The CPMI uses a target score of 50 as a base. A score below 50 means a contraction of the local manufacturing sector, while a score above 50 means it’s expanding. April’s score topped in at 49.2
Although output contracted, it’s not all doom and gloom. Manufacturing output has actually expanded much of 2026, with April being the first month showing a contraction. However, manufacturing output has been on a decline since its January 2026 peak.
Manufacturing output certainly made a comeback at the start of this year. We’ll see moving forward if it has any Quarter 1 momentum left or if it will revert back to its pre-2026 numbers.
Prairie State Policy 