# Chicago Fed Activity Index Turns Positive as Production Strengthens

The index rose to +0.07 in September as production strengthened, while consumption and housing made a negative contribution.

By Will Langan | 24X7 News
Published: 2026-10-26T14:04:16.479Z
Updated: 2026-10-26T14:04:16.479Z
Section: Money
Format: News
Canonical: https://24x7news.us/articles/chicago-fed-september-activity-index-october-26-2026

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index moved above zero in September, with stronger production indicators outweighing a weaker contribution from consumption and housing, according to figures released Monday, October 26.

The index rose to +0.07 from a revised −0.08 in August. August had initially been reported at −0.04. The three-month moving average increased to +0.03 from +0.01.

A zero reading corresponds to the U.S. economy growing at its historical trend rate. Positive and negative readings indicate activity above or below that trend; the index is not a percentage measure of GDP growth.

Production contributed +0.13 in September, compared with −0.06 in August. Sales, orders and inventories contributed +0.02, improving from −0.03. Employment indicators made a neutral contribution after subtracting 0.02 in August.

Consumption and housing moved in the opposite direction, contributing −0.08 after adding 0.02 a month earlier.

The improvement was therefore uneven. Forty-one underlying indicators improved from August, 43 deteriorated and one was unchanged. The aggregate reflects the indicators’ weighted contributions, rather than a simple count of how many improved.

Monday’s release describes September activity and includes revisions to earlier data. It is a backward-looking economic indicator, separate from the Federal Reserve’s upcoming interest-rate decision.

Sources:
Seeking Alpha via TradingView — September CFNAI release, October 26, 2026: https://www.tradingview.com/news/seekingalpha:72842de2f094b:0-chicago-fed-national-activity-index-swings-to-positive-territory-in-september/
Trading Economics via TradingView — September CFNAI components, October 26, 2026: https://www.tradingview.com/news/te_news:595067:0-chicago-fed-activity-index-improves-in-september/
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago — CFNAI methodology and release schedule: https://www.chicagofed.org/research/data/cfnai/current-data

## Sources
- Seeking Alpha via TradingView — September CFNAI release, October 26, 2026: https://www.tradingview.com/news/seekingalpha:72842de2f094b:0-chicago-fed-national-activity-index-swings-to-positive-territory-in-september/
- Trading Economics via TradingView — September CFNAI components, October 26, 2026: https://www.tradingview.com/news/te_news:595067:0-chicago-fed-activity-index-improves-in-september/
- Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago — CFNAI methodology and release schedule: https://www.chicagofed.org/research/data/cfnai/current-data