The Ai Group Australian Industry Index edged up 0.2 points to -12.3 seasonally adjusted in December/January. The indicator has continued to recover through 2025, but activity remains mixed. Domestic demand remained subdued amid seasonal challenges, while economic uncertainty, rising input costs, regulatory pressures and labour shortages continued to weigh on activity, partly offset by stronger construction inquiries and improved conditions in metals and food industries. The employment index was broadly stable at -4.7, reflecting ongoing difficulties in securing suitable staff, with some firms scaling back operations and others holding vacancies amid persistent skill shortages. New orders improved in December/January, rising 4.1 points to -14.2 as the 2026 work pipeline began to flow through, while input volumes fell slightly to -15.7, contracting at a similar pace to November. Pricing indicators eased modestly, with both input and sales prices declining, while wages remained elevated. source: Australian Industry Group

Industry Index in Australia increased to -12.30 points in January from -12.50 points in November of 2025. Industry Index in Australia averaged -8.37 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 February of 2026.

Industry Index in Australia increased to -12.30 points in January from -12.50 points in November of 2025. Industry Index in Australia is expected to be 2.00 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
2025-12-02 10:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
Nov -12.5 -11.2 -15
2026-02-03 10:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
Jan -12.3 -12.5 -14
2026-03-03 10:00 PM
Ai Group Industry Index
Feb -12.3


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies 1306.00 1071.00 Companies Dec 2025
Building Capital Expenditure 2.10 0.30 percent Sep 2025
NAB Business Confidence 3.00 2.00 points Dec 2025
Business Inventories -0.90 0.10 percent Sep 2025
Capacity Utilization 74.20 77.60 percent Nov 2025
Passenger Car Sales 13365.00 12033.00 Units Jan 2026
Changes in Inventories -1916.00 1748.00 AUD Million Sep 2025
Composite Leading Indicator 100.77 100.70 points Jan 2026
Company Gross Profits 125152.00 125185.00 AUD Million Sep 2025
Corruption Index 77.00 75.00 Points Dec 2024
Corruption Rank 10.00 14.00 Dec 2024
Industrial Production -0.20 -0.30 percent Sep 2025
Industrial Production Mom 0.50 6.50 percent Sep 2025
Ai Group Industry Index -12.30 -12.50 points Jan 2026
Ai Group Services Index -13.80 -13.80 points Jan 2026
Ai Group Construction Index 5.20 -16.90 points Jan 2026
Ai Group Manufacturing Index -19.40 -18.30 points Jan 2026
Westpac Leading Index MoM 0.10 0.00 percent Dec 2025
Manufacturing Production -1.90 -3.90 percent Sep 2025
Mining Production 0.00 1.30 percent Sep 2025
New Orders 35.00 23.00 points Dec 2025
Plant Machinery Capital Expenditure 11.50 0.70 percent Sep 2025
Private Capital Expenditure 6.40 0.40 percent Sep 2025
Small Business Sentiment -2.00 -8.00 points Sep 2025
New Vehicle Sales 87092.00 98744.00 Units Jan 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
-12.30 -12.50 22.80 -43.60 2020 - 2026 points Monthly
SA

News Stream
Australian Industry Activity Improves: Ai Group
The Ai Group Australian Industry Index edged up 0.2 points to -12.3 seasonally adjusted in December/January. The indicator has continued to recover through 2025, but activity remains mixed. Domestic demand remained subdued amid seasonal challenges, while economic uncertainty, rising input costs, regulatory pressures and labour shortages continued to weigh on activity, partly offset by stronger construction inquiries and improved conditions in metals and food industries. The employment index was broadly stable at -4.7, reflecting ongoing difficulties in securing suitable staff, with some firms scaling back operations and others holding vacancies amid persistent skill shortages. New orders improved in December/January, rising 4.1 points to -14.2 as the 2026 work pipeline began to flow through, while input volumes fell slightly to -15.7, contracting at a similar pace to November. Pricing indicators eased modestly, with both input and sales prices declining, while wages remained elevated.
2026-02-03
Australian Industry Activity Declines: Ai Group
The Ai Group Australian Industry Index declined 0.6 points to -12.5 seasonally adjusted in November. The indicator has continued to recover through 2025, but activity remains mixed. Domestic and some export demand was subdued and customer hesitation, project delays, weather impacts and increased offshore sourcing offset gains in parts of the economy. The employment index fell 5.9 points to -5.9, reversing October’s gains, as firms typically chose not to replace leavers and widespread skill shortages continued to limit productivity while some firms shelved vacancies. New orders and input volumes both deteriorated in November, but trend data show the recovery in new orders has stalled since June—respondents cited erratic demand, fewer enquiries, project delays and rising offshoring. Pricing indicators point to re-emerging cost pressures: the input price indicator rose 6.3 points, while sales prices and wages were broadly steady as more firms sought to pass on higher input costs.
2025-12-02
Australian Industry Conditions Improve: Ai Group
The Ai Group Australian Industry Index improved by 4.2 points to -11.2 seasonally adjusted in October. The indicator has continued to improve through 2025, but activity remains mixed. Domestic and some export demand was subdued and customer hesitation, project delays, weather impacts and increased offshore sourcing offset gains in parts of the economy. The employment index rose 10.9 points to a neutral reading of 0.0, led by eased labour supply constraints in construction, though widespread skill shortages still limit productivity and some firms are shelving vacancies. New orders held steady in October while input volumes climbed, but trend data show the recovery in new orders has stalled since June—respondents cited erratic demand, fewer enquiries and rising competition from imports. Pricing indicators were little moved: input costs rose slightly, sales prices eased slightly, and firms reported intensifying price competition even as some businesses began to pass on cost increases.
2025-11-04