April Sales Data Shows Global Impact of Trump Tariffs

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Updated: April 22, 2025

World economic activity slowed to a 21-month low in April when seen through the lens of the Sales Managers Indexes for the world's largest economies (China, the USA and India).

Global Sales Managers Index Source: World Economics
Note: Data Shown as a Diffusion Index. (50 = 'No Change', above 50 = Increasing growth, below 50 = Declining growth)


For most recent decades these three countries have collectively contributed close to 60% of total global growth, and in reality, probably significantly more, as the "rest of the world" in this case includes many countries with less reliable and often exaggerated data. In any event, if the survey results from these three countries collectively are at a 21-month low point (as is the case in April) the immediate outlook for world economic activity is unlikely to be positive.

The Sales Managers Indexes for all three countries are in fact significantly down on March, and three out of five of the growth related Indexes have fallen below the crucial 50 line separating economic growth from decline. The Staffing Index is looking particularly grim, having fallen in April to a 31 month low.

The massive Trump Tariff's are very likely to be the root cause of this sudden drop in all index values, from Business Confidence to Job Recruitment.



Sales Managers Index Components



0 0 0 Global|#0A66C2|57.7, 58, 56.9, 56.4, 55.3, 56.8, 55.9, 54.9, 55.1, 55.2, 54, 53.2, 47.4, 43.2, 47.5, 49.6, 50.9, 50.4, 51.1, 51.7, 51.8, 52.6, 51.6, 52.7, 52.2, 52.8, 52.6, 53.7, 52.9, 52.6, 52.6, 53.3, 53.3, 53.6, 52.3, 53.5, 50.9, 51.1, 50.4, 50.3, 50.5, 50.9, 51.8, 52, 50.5, 50.3, 51.5, 51.9, 52.1, 51.5, 51.2, 48.7, 50.4, 51.4, 50.2, 52.6, 52.2, 50.6, 53.2, 53.2, 52.8, 52.2, 51.4, 51.4, 50.8, 50.3, 50.8, 52.9, 52.8, 52.2, 51.7, 52.7, 50.4 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Business Confidence

50.4
April 2025
Global Business Confidence increased at a marginal pace in April. The Business Confidence Index measures the level of optimism/pessimism among sales managers for future conditions.
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0 0 0 Global|#0A66C2|54.7, 54.2, 53.6, 53, 52.3, 52.6, 52.3, 50.9, 50.3, 50.6, 49.1, 49.5, 43, 37.8, 42.1, 45.7, 48.3, 48.9, 49.3, 49.7, 50.5, 51.7, 51.2, 51.1, 51.2, 51.3, 51.2, 52.6, 52.7, 52.1, 51.8, 51.7, 51.6, 52.3, 50, 49.7, 48.6, 48.8, 49, 48.7, 49.2, 50, 50.2, 49.8, 48.1, 48.3, 50.7, 50.9, 51.7, 50.6, 51.7, 49.7, 50.7, 51.4, 51.8, 52.3, 51.6, 51, 51.9, 51.9, 51.5, 51.5, 51.8, 51.1, 51.6, 50.7, 50.2, 51.3, 51.2, 51.3, 51.2, 51.1, 49.9 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Market Growth

49.9
April 2025
The Market Growth Index value decreased in April. The Market Growth Index monitors the underlying growth of the market segments into which the panel members sell.
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0 0 0 Global|#0A66C2|54.2, 54, 53.1, 54.6, 53.8, 53.7, 53.6, 52.1, 52.5, 52.2, 48.9, 50.9, 45.1, 38.7, 44.1, 46, 48.4, 51.2, 50.5, 51.1, 52.9, 53.7, 51.9, 53.1, 52.6, 51.8, 52.6, 54.2, 54.2, 53.5, 53.6, 53.5, 52.7, 52.8, 53.2, 53.5, 51.4, 51.8, 50.7, 49.6, 50.5, 51.5, 52.1, 51.7, 50.7, 50.3, 53.6, 52.8, 51.9, 52, 52, 50.8, 52.7, 52.4, 52.5, 53.6, 52, 51.9, 53.1, 53.3, 54.1, 53.2, 53.7, 53.1, 53.3, 52.4, 52, 53.7, 53.3, 52.2, 52.7, 53.4, 51.2 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Sales Growth

51.2
April 2025
Global Sales Growth fell to a 27-month low in April. The Sales Growth Index defines the speed and direction of overall sales of goods and services (current month from previous month).
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0 0 0 Global|#0A66C2|53.4, 53.8, 53.3, 53.9, 54.6, 53.9, 55.3, 54.2, 53.7, 53.7, 52.7, 52.8, 49.3, 42.3, 44, 47.5, 51, 50.3, 51.2, 53.3, 53.3, 53.7, 51.5, 52, 52.1, 53.4, 54.2, 55, 54.3, 54.8, 55.2, 57.7, 55.6, 55, 54.5, 52.4, 52.9, 54.3, 54.6, 52.5, 51.8, 52.6, 52.5, 52.9, 51.2, 51.7, 52.3, 52.3, 52.2, 51.4, 51.8, 50.9, 52.6, 52.3, 53.7, 51.2, 51.9, 52, 51.8, 50.5, 53, 52.2, 52.7, 51.6, 52.2, 51.4, 50.9, 52.3, 52.7, 51.7, 51.7, 51.9, 52.1 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Prices Charged

52.1
April 2025
Prices charged increased in April at a faster rate. The Prices Charged Index measures the speed and direction of changes in the current price of goods and services taking into account any discounts offered.
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0 0 0 Global|#0A66C2|52.5, 51.8, 51, 50.2, 49.6, 50.6, 50.9, 50.5, 51.2, 50.6, 49.1, 48.2, 45.5, 35.6, 38.9, 41.7, 45.4, 47.4, 46.4, 47.4, 48.7, 47.8, 47.9, 50.1, 49.2, 48.9, 49.5, 51.8, 50.3, 50.3, 51.2, 51.2, 50.7, 49.6, 50.3, 49.9, 48.2, 49, 46.4, 47.4, 46.5, 46.2, 49.5, 49.1, 49.1, 48.5, 49.2, 49.2, 50.8, 50.1, 50.6, 48.2, 49.3, 49, 49.4, 50.5, 51.6, 48.8, 51.5, 49.9, 50.4, 50.6, 50.2, 51.5, 50.7, 49.8, 49.7, 50.6, 50.6, 50.4, 49, 50.2, 48.1 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Staffing Levels

48.1
April 2025
Global staffing levels fell in April. The Staffing Levels Index monitors the level of growth or decline in employment against the same period a year earlier.
Find out more about SMI Diffusion Indexes




About the Sales Managers Indexes

The Sales Managers' Indexes provide the earliest monthly data on the speed and direction of economic activity in key growth areas of the world.

The SMI’s (Sales Managers’ Indexes) are compiled and analysed by World Economics and are based on survey data collected from a panel of companies stratifying all Industry Classification Board (ICB) sectors which are weighted to reflect their contribution to national Gross Domestic Product.

Key advantages of the SMI's:

  • The SMI's provide the first indication each month of the speed and direction of economic growth.
  • The SMI's provide the most complete indication of growth, covering all private sector activity.
  • The SMI's are based on a key occupational group - sales executives - uniquely able to sense accurate changes in business activity levels.
  • The SMI survey base - salespeople - are used by virtually all businesses, including in frontier markets, unlike other occupational groups.
  • The SMI's focus on the key countries contributing to over 60% of global growth in recent years.






About the Data

Global SMI data is published as diffusion indexes to gauge the speed and direction of economic activity.

Monthly data for 8 years is downloadable in a consistent unadjusted format for the 6 key indexes: