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Manufacturing activity in the Chicago area fell in August, the Institute for Supply Management-Chicago said Wednesday.

The group’s business barometer declined to 56.5 this month, from 58.8 in July. Readings over 50 signal expansion.

Economists had forecast the gauge would drop to 53.3, Bloomberg reported.

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