Australia’s Industry Index rose by 9.8 points to -24.4 in April 2026, signaling some stabilisation but still pointing to a deep contraction in industrial conditions. Key components improved modestly: activity and sales, as well as employment, each gained 4.5 points to -31.2 and -25.2, respectively, while new orders climbed 7.7 points to -24.8. Input volumes also picked up, rising 6.6 points to -5.5, suggesting a tentative recovery in demand. Yet cost pressures surged: the prices index jumped 13.5 points to 69.3 as fuel levies filtered through supply chains, pushing selling prices up 10.1 points to 23.1 and wages 2.1 points higher to 36.2. Capacity utilisation rebounded to 77.7% after earlier declines. Despite these gains, firms remain constrained by skilled labour shortages, elevated energy costs, lingering supply disruptions, and intensifying competition from online and overseas suppliers, underscoring structural headwinds even as headline conditions show modest improvement. source: Australian Industry Group

Industry Index in Australia increased to -24.40 points in April from -34.20 points in March of 2026. Industry Index in Australia averaged -8.87 points from 2020 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 22.80 points in March of 2021 and a record low of -43.60 points in April of 2020. This page includes a chart with historical data for Australia Ai Group Industry Index. Australia Ai Group Industry Index - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Industry Index in Australia increased to -24.40 points in April from -34.20 points in March of 2026. Industry Index in Australia is expected to be -5.00 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Australia Ai Group Industry Index is projected to trend around 4.00 points in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-31 10:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
Mar -23.6 -1.5 -10
2026-05-05 11:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
Apr -24.4 -34.2 -27
2026-06-02 11:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
May -24.4


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 1306.00 1260.00 Companies Mar 2026
Building Capital Expenditure 2.30 2.30 percent Dec 2025
NAB Business Confidence -29.00 0.00 points Mar 2026
Business Inventories -0.10 -0.80 percent Dec 2025
Capacity Utilization 77.70 73.70 percent Apr 2026
Passenger Car Sales 11005.00 13101.00 Units Apr 2026
Changes in Inventories 657.00 -1801.00 AUD Million Dec 2025
Composite Leading Indicator 100.82 100.76 points Mar 2026
Company Gross Profits 133922.00 126530.00 AUD Million Dec 2025
Corruption Index 76.00 77.00 Points Dec 2025
Corruption Rank 12.00 10.00 Dec 2025
Industrial Production 2.70 0.10 percent Dec 2025
Industrial Production Mom 1.60 -0.20 percent Dec 2025
Ai Group Industry Index -24.40 -34.20 points Apr 2026
Ai Group Services Index -23.60 1.10 points Mar 2026
Ai Group Construction Index -19.30 -57.10 points Apr 2026
Ai Group Manufacturing Index -27.90 -28.60 points Apr 2026
Westpac Leading Index MoM -0.10 -0.10 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production 1.10 -1.90 percent Dec 2025
Mining Production 3.80 0.40 percent Dec 2025
New Orders 35.00 23.00 points Dec 2025
Plant Machinery Capital Expenditure -1.70 11.20 percent Dec 2025
Private Capital Expenditure 0.40 6.40 percent Dec 2025
Small Business Sentiment -2.00 -8.00 points Sep 2025
New Vehicle Sales 92591.00 105058.00 Units Apr 2026


Australia Ai Group Industry Index
The Ai Group Australian Industry Index is a monthly index that measures changes in activity in Australia’s industrial sectors. It provides diffusion indices which measure rates of changes in the level of industrial activity – expansion, stability, or contraction. A positive reading indicates the activity is expanding; negative indicates contraction. The distance from 0 indicates the strength of the expansion or decline.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-24.40 -34.20 22.80 -43.60 2020 - 2026 points Monthly
SA

News Stream
Australian Industry Conditions Improve
Australia’s Industry Index rose by 9.8 points to -24.4 in April 2026, signaling some stabilisation but still pointing to a deep contraction in industrial conditions. Key components strengthened modestly: activity and sales, as well as employment, each gained 4.5 points to -31.2 and -25.2, respectively, while new orders climbed 7.7 points to -24.8. Input volumes also picked up, rising 6.6 points to -5.5, suggesting a tentative recovery in demand. Yet cost pressures surged: the prices index jumped 13.5 points to 69.3 as fuel levies filtered through supply chains, pushing selling prices up 10.1 points to 23.1 and wages 2.1 points higher to 36.2. Capacity utilisation rebounded to 77.7% after earlier declines. Despite these gains, firms remain constrained by skilled labour shortages, elevated energy costs, lingering supply disruptions, and intensifying competition from online and overseas suppliers, underscoring structural headwinds even as headline conditions show modest improvement.
2026-05-05
Australian Industry Conditions Sharply Deteriorate: Ai Group
The Australian Industry Index fell 19.9 points to -23.6 in March as the energy crisis hit. The indicator reversed its 2026 recovery with the steepest monthly fall in the series. Domestic demand weakened amid Middle East conflict uncertainty while rising fuel costs and supply chain disruptions weighed on activity. The employment index dropped sharply to -28.7 reflecting levels not seen since May 2020 as weaker activity led firms to consider reducing hours despite persistent skills scarcity. New orders declined 21.7 points to -23.0 as paused projects and lower confidence constrained the pipeline while input volumes fell 12.9 points into contraction. Pricing indicators showed intensifying pressure with input prices rising to 8.5 as energy costs spiked while sales prices rose as firms attempted to pass on costs despite a widening gap between the two indices. Economic activity remains under pressure with capacity utilization falling below the long term average of 77% to 82%.
2026-03-31
Australian Industry Conditions Improve: Ai Group
The Ai Group Australian Industry Index lifted 9.0 points to -1.5 seasonally adjusted in February. The indicator has continued to recover through 2025, but activity remains flat. Domestic demand remained subdued amid soft conditions, while regulatory pressures, skills shortages, and rising input costs continued to weigh on activity, partly offset by significant growth in business services and stronger enquiry conversion rates. The employment index moved into positive territory for the first time in three years, rising to +12.8, reflecting firms retaining labor in anticipation of a gradual recovery despite persistent skills scarcity. New orders improved in February, rising 11.4 points to -2.1 as the 2026 work pipeline began to flow through, while input volumes rose sharply to 8.1, moving back into positive territory. Pricing indicators showed persistent pressure, with input prices rising and sales prices holding steady, while wages remained elevated.
2026-03-03