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Chicago Fed National Activity Index leveled off in October
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The Chicago Fed National Activity Index was –1.08 in October, down very slightly from –1.01 in September. A decline in the contribution of production and income indicators offset small improvements in the other three broad categories of indicators that make up the index.
The index’s three-month moving average, CFNAI-MA3, decreased to –0.91 in October from –0.67 in September, declining for the first time in 2009. October’s CFNAI-MA3 suggests that growth in national economic activity remained below its historical trend. With regard to inflation, the amount of economic slack reflected in the CFNAI-MA3 indicates low inflationary pressure from economic activity over the coming year.
Production-related indicators—with a contribution of –0.07 in October compared with +0.23 in September—made a negative contribution to the index for the first time since June 2009. Much of the decline in this category’s contribution can be attributed to lower manufacturing production. In particular, durable goods manufacturing declined 0.4 percent in October after rising 1.1 percent in September. Partially offsetting this was an increase in the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Production Index. It increased to 63.3 in October from 55.7 in the previous month.
Posted: November 23, 2009 Monday 08:30 AM