In the previous post I covered Irish Manufacturing and Services PMIs as released by the Investec/Markit. With both PMI indices out, time to update my own Irish Composite Activity Indicator (CAI) based on PMIs and showing a measure of aggregate economy-wide activity in private sector.
The CAI is based on quarterly (or closest 3mo average) readings for two PMIs.
Chart below illustrates the series.
Q2 2014 reading to-date is for CAI of 58.8 which is slightly up on Q1 2014 reading of 58.4 and is up 11.3% y/y. With Q1 2014 up q/q by 0.36% and Q2 (to-date) reading up 0.62% q/q, the pace of expansion is rising.
So far, in Q2 2014 we are marking 17th consecutive quarter of expansion in economic activity. Which, of course, stands contrasted by the fact that GDP posted 8 quarters of q/q declines over the last 16 quarters for which we have data, while GNP posted 7 quarters of contractions.
Basic point is the old one: PMIs have virtually no connection to either GDP or GNP.
Still, good feeling is worth something (which is why we are willing to pay to see soft-ball comedy and entertainment) and on this measure, CAI shines some warmish light on us all...
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