Thought for the day

Sales Indexes Fall as Financial Crisis Bites and Inflation Stays High


 
19 April 2024
 
Most US Sales Managers Indexes (with the exception of the Prices Charged Index) fell in March, some rather sharply.

United States Prices Charged Index: March
Diffusion Index. (50 = 'No Change')
Sales Indexes Fall as Financial Crisis Bites and Inflation Stays High


Although all bar one remain over the critical 50 no-growth line, the overall picture for March is somewhat negative.

Crucially, the evidence presented by the March Sales Managers Survey suggests that the Federal Reserve's Interest rate hikes have so far had only a modest restraining impact on prices.

The Sales Managers Prices Charged Index, now at a far from ideal reading of 56.4 continues to reflect rapid price rises in many areas of activity. With the now added complication of a crisis of confidence in some major US banks, business confidence in general and sales activity in particular remain muted. See more data...



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