Biden's Boom Continues to Roll Across America

The First Data on Economic Activity Levels in the United States - Every Month
Updated: March 20, 2024

All US Sales Managers Indexes rose in March, all bar one rather sharply. All are over the critical 50 no-growth line. The Business Confidence Index, the crucial "animal spirits" ingredient in economic growth is riding high at 54.6, the best reading for 26 months.

United States: Business Confidence Index Source: World Economics
Note: Data Shown as a Diffusion Index. (50 = 'No Change', above 50 = Increasing growth, below 50 = Declining growth)

The evidence presented by the March Sales Managers Survey suggests that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes have had at best a very modest restraining impact on economic activity levels.

However the Fed's efforts at cutting price inflation do seem to be working, with the Sales Managers Price index now at a 44 month low.



Sales Managers Index Components



0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|57.7, 58, 59.1, 60.4, 57.9, 57, 54, 55.6, 53.8, 53.9, 53.9, 53, 52.6, 48.6, 41, 38, 45, 48.3, 50.4, 50.8, 49, 49.7, 51.2, 52.3, 51.7, 52.7, 52.4, 54.6, 53.6, 53.9, 52.1, 52.1, 52.2, 55, 54.8, 54.6, 50.7, 50, 50.7, 51, 49.7, 50, 50, 50.7, 53.2, 51.6, 51.4, 50, 50.3, 50.4, 51.4, 50, 50.7, 46.8, 48.3, 51.4, 46.9, 52.4, 51.2, 48.8, 53.4, 54.6 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Business Confidence

54.6
March 2024
The Business Confidence Index grew to a 26 month high in March.
The Business Confidence Index measures the level of optimism/pessimism among sales managers for future conditions.
Find out more about SMI Diffusion Indexes
0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|57.4, 56.6, 56.8, 56.4, 54.2, 53.9, 52.2, 54, 53.4, 52.7, 51.9, 51.9, 51.4, 49.7, 40.6, 35.1, 42.3, 47.9, 49.6, 50.8, 50.3, 50, 52.1, 53.4, 51, 51.7, 51, 52, 52, 55.1, 54.2, 53.2, 52.9, 53.9, 53.4, 54.6, 50, 50, 49.6, 51.7, 51, 50.6, 51, 52.6, 54.6, 51.9, 51.1, 50, 53.1, 52.3, 52.8, 50.7, 53.6, 51.1, 53.5, 53.8, 54.9, 55.1, 54.1, 51.3, 54.1, 54.2 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Market Growth

54.2
March 2024
The Market Growth Index continued to show a strong rate of growth in March.
The Market Growth Index monitors the underlying growth of the market segments into which the panel members sell.
Find out more about SMI Diffusion Indexes
0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|57, 53.8, 54.4, 54.7, 52.7, 54.6, 53.1, 53.6, 52.1, 51.2, 53.9, 52.7, 52, 48.9, 42.5, 34.3, 43.2, 43.6, 48.8, 53.5, 50, 50.7, 51.2, 53.7, 52, 52.3, 51.7, 51.6, 53, 55.1, 54.5, 53.2, 53.3, 55.4, 53.1, 55.3, 53.6, 49.6, 51.8, 52.1, 50, 49.7, 50.3, 53.3, 53.5, 52.8, 51.4, 48.9, 54.1, 51.5, 50.7, 50.7, 52.9, 50.7, 53.5, 52.1, 53.8, 53.7, 51.2, 50.8, 53.2, 53.5 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Sales Growth

53.5
March 2024
The Sales Growth Index value increased to a four month high in March.
The Sales Growth Index defines the speed and direction of overall sales of goods and services (current month from previous month).
Find out more about SMI Diffusion Indexes
0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|53.2, 54.9, 55.4, 52, 50, 52.5, 55.3, 53.6, 55.9, 55.8, 54.7, 55.1, 54.6, 51.7, 49.1, 40.1, 43.7, 47.9, 52.8, 52.4, 52.9, 56.5, 56.2, 57.4, 54.4, 56, 55.8, 57.2, 57, 58.4, 57.6, 56.4, 55.1, 59.7, 58.2, 58.2, 58, 57.7, 53.2, 55.2, 56.3, 53.2, 54.5, 56.6, 56, 56.6, 55, 52.8, 55.8, 56.4, 54.2, 54.8, 55.4, 54.9, 57.6, 54.1, 56.9, 54.1, 53.3, 53.3, 52.9, 52.3 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Prices Charged

52.3
March 2024
The Prices Charged Index eased futher in March to a 44 month low.
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.
Find out more about SMI Diffusion Indexes
0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|52.1, 51.7, 54.1, 52, 51.5, 49.3, 47.8, 50.8, 50, 50, 51.9, 50.3, 48.9, 44.2, 42.9, 31, 33.8, 36.4, 45.1, 47.6, 43.6, 45.4, 50.4, 46.6, 45, 49.3, 50, 49.7, 52.3, 55.6, 52.1, 51.1, 52.2, 53.5, 51.4, 49.6, 50.7, 48.5, 48.9, 50.7, 45.5, 48.1, 46.6, 45.7, 50.7, 49.4, 50.7, 47.9, 49.3, 48.1, 52.1, 50.3, 50.4, 47.2, 47.9, 48.3, 48.6, 49.7, 53.3, 46.7, 51.7, 50.4 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Staffing Levels

50.4
March 2024
The Staffing Levels Index eased in March to just above the 50 'no growth' line.
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
0 0 0 USA|#0A66C2|48.9, 50.3, 51.4, 47.3, 49.7, 50.7, 50.9, 48.8, 50.4, 48.4, 51.6, 49.5, 49.4, 40.9, 40.6, 30.6, 33.3, 32.2, 42.7, 42.3, 43.6, 46.1, 47.9, 44, 45, 44.3, 46.6, 49.3, 50, 52.2, 50.7, 46.4, 47.5, 51.6, 46.9, 48.2, 46.4, 45.6, 43.6, 49.3, 48.3, 43.2, 46.6, 48.3, 50.4, 48.4, 49.6, 45.7, 45.9, 48.5, 50, 47.3, 50, 49.3, 46.5, 45.9, 46.5, 51.7, 52.9, 49.6, 50.5, 49.6 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Profit Margins

49.6
March 2024
Profit Margins decreased in March.
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 United States growth in recent years.






About the Data

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

Monthly data since 2011 is downloadable for all-sectors in a consistent unadjusted format for 7 key indexes: