Chicago Fed National Activity Index Increases in April - Modern Distribution Management

Log In

Chicago Fed National Activity Index Increases in April

The indexs three-month moving average increased to -0.23.
Author
Date

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index moved up to -0.15 in April from -0.36 in March. Two of the four broad categories of indicators that make up the index increased from March, but only one of the four categories made a positive contribution to the index in April.

The index’s three-month moving average, CFNAI-MA3, increased slightly to -0.23 in April from -0.27 in March. April’s CFNAI-MA3 suggests that growth in national economic activity was some­what below its historical trend. The economic growth reflected in this level of the CFNAI-MA3 suggests subdued inflationary pressure from economic activity over the coming year.

The CFNAI Diffusion Index, which is also a three-month moving average, was unchanged at -0.12 in April. Thirty-eight of the 85 individual indicators made positive contributions to the CFNAI in April, while 47 made negative contributions. Forty-six indicators improved from March to April, while 37 indicators deteriorated and two were unchanged. Of the indicators that improved, 19 made negative contributions.

The contribution from production-related indicators to the CFNAI was unchanged at -0.16 in April. Industrial production decreased 0.3 percent in April for the second straight month. The sales, orders, and inventories category made a neutral contribution to the CFNAI in April, down slightly from +0.01 in March.

Employment-related indicators contributed +0.08 to the CFNAI in April, up from -0.08 in March. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 223,000 in April, following a gain of 85,000 in the previous month; and the unemployment rate edged down to 5.4 percent in April from 5.5 percent in March.

The contribution of the personal consumption and housing category to the CFNAI increased to -0.06 in April from -0.12 in March. Housing starts moved up to 1,135,000 annualized units in April from 944,000 in March. In addition, housing permits increased to 1,143,000 annualized units in April from 1,038,000 in the previous month.

Share this article

About the Author
Recommended Reading
Leave a Reply

Leave a Comment

Sign Up for the MDM Update Newsletter

The MDM update newsletter is your best source for news and trends in the wholesale distribution industry.

Get the MDM Update Newsletter

Wholesale distribution news and trends delivered right to your inbox.

Sign-up for our free newsletter and get:

  • Up-to-date news in a quick-to-read format
  • Free access to webcasts, podcasts and live events
  • Exclusive whitepapers, research and reports
  • And more!

2

articles left

Want more Premium content from MDM?

Subscribe today and get:

  • New issues twice each month
  • Unlimited access to mdm.com, including 10+ years of archived data
  • Current trends analysis, market data and economic updates
  • Discounts on select store products and events

Subscribe to continue reading

MDM Premium Subscribers get:

  • Unlimited access to MDM.com
  • 1 year digital subscription, with new issues twice a month
  • Trends analysis, market data and quarterly economic updates
  • Deals on select store products and events

1

article
left

You have one free article remaining

Subscribe to MDM Premium to get unlimited access. Your subscription includes:

  • Two new issues a month
  • Access to 10+ years of archived data on mdm.com
  • Quarterly economic updates, trends analysis and market data
  • Store and event discounts

To continue reading, you must be an MDM Premium subscriber.

Join other distribution executives who use MDM Premium to optimize their business. Our insights and analysis help you enter the right new markets, turbocharge your sales and marketing efforts, identify business partners that help you scale, and stay ahead of your competitors.

Register for full access

By providing your email, you agree to receive announcements from us and our partners for our newsletter, events, surveys, and partner resources per MDM Terms & Conditions. You can withdraw consent at any time.

Learn More about Custom Reports

Request a Market Prospector Demo

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.