The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI®) fell 2.1 points to 45.6 in November, remaining in contraction for a third month (results below 50 points indicate contraction, with lower numbers indicating a stronger rate of contraction).

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Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Ai Group, said: "The deteriorating economic outlook is clearly weighing on Australia’s services sector. The Australian PSI® indicated a deepening contraction in the services sector, with three months of declining results. Steep falls in indicators for employment and new orders in November reveal weakening demand for services, while ongoing labour shortages continue to constrain the supply side," Mr Willox said.

Australian PSI® – Key Findings for November 2022:

  • The Australian PSI® indicated contraction in the services sector in November, the third month of declining results.
  • Results were mixed – business & property services showed the strongest month-on-month decline and logistics the largest improvement.
  • All activity indicators are in contraction. The employment and new orders indicators declined significantly in November, suggesting weakening demand.
  • However, capacity utilisation remained elevated, rising to 82.8%. In services, this reflects ongoing tight employment conditions.
  • Delivery delays, cumulative interest rate increases, and labour shortages were key concerns for businesses.

View all Economic Indicators 

Seasonally adjusted

Index this month

Change from last month

12- month average

Seasonally adjusted

Index this month

Change from last month

12- month average

Australian PSI®

45.6

-2.1

50.2

Business-oriented services

     

Sales

42.8

1.5

50.6

Business & property

38.2

-0.2

50.6

Employment

47.8

-6.1

50.5

Logistics

52.0

0.8

47.9

New Orders

49.7

-4.8

50.9

Finance & insurance

na

na

na

Supplier deliveries

38.4

0.0

48.7

       

Finished stocks

47.9

2.6

49.1

Consumer-oriented services

     

Capacity utilisation (%)

82.8

2.9

76.8

Retail trade & hospitality

40.4

-7.7

48.0

Prices and wages

     

Health & education

50.0

5.0

51.8

Input prices

74.0

-3.6

64.4

Personal, recreational & other

55.0

-2.5

53.1

Selling prices

64.4

2.2

49.9

       

Average wages

68.6

3.8

57.6

Australian PSI® (trend)

47.4

-0.6

50.0

Results above 50 points indicate expansion. Data is seasonally adjusted; trend data in the Australian PSI® calculated with a Henderson 13-month filter formula.
na: Results are not available for this sector in this period due to unusually low survey response numbers. All sectors are included in the total results.

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Background: The Ai Group Australian PSI® is a leading indicator of services activity in the Australian economy. It is a seasonally adjusted national composite index based on the diffusion indices for sales, orders/new business, deliveries, inventories and employment with varying weights. An Australian PSI® reading above 50 points indicates that services activity is generally expanding; below 50, that it is declining. The distance from 50 is indicative of the strength of the expansion or decline. Results are based on a sample of around 200 companies each month.

Media Enquiries: Tony Melville: 0419 190 347