Chicago Manufacturing Growth Dips in December

he growth rate of manufacturing activity in the Chicago area slowed slightly this month, but manufacturing continued to expand in the region, the National Association of Purchasing Management-Chicago said Thursday.

APM’s Chicago-area business barometer fell to 61.5 from 61.7 in November, the group said. The level still exceeded economists’ forecasts a 60 reading, Bloomberg reported.

Readings above 50 signal expansion. The survey’s reading contracted in August with a 49.2 level; before that, it had risen for 27 consecutive months.

Chicago is a major center of U.S. manufacturing, which is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers.