---
source: Australian Industry Group
url: https://www.australianindustrygroup.com.au/resourcecentre/research-economics/economics-intelligence/2026/key-australian-industry-indicators-april-2026/
document_type: html
date_retrieved: 2026-05-05
period: April 2026
parent_publication: Key Australian industry indicators (Economic Intelligence)
indicators_covered: [Ai Group Construction Index, Ai Group Manufacturing Index, Ai Group Industry Index]
---

# Australian Industry Index - April 2026

**Release Date:** 28 April 2026 (Economic Intelligence briefing)  
**Data Reference Period:** April 2026

## Summary Table

| Indicator | April 2026 | March 2026 | Period |
|-----------|------------|------------|--------|
| Ai Group Construction Index | -19.3 | -31.4 | Apr 2026 |
| Ai Group Manufacturing Index | -27.9 | -28.6 | Apr 2026 |
| Ai Group Industry Index | -24.4 | -23.6 | Apr 2026 |

## News Release Highlights

The Australian Industry Index® for April 2026 showed:

> "War fuels fears of stagflation"
> Annual CPI eased slightly from 3.8% in January to 3.7% in February, remaining well above the RBA's 2-3% target band. Housing continued to be the dominant source of inflationary pressure, rising 7.2% over the year, alongside firm increases in food & non‑alcoholic beverages and recreation & culture.

The full Economic Intelligence briefing covers:

- Geopolitical conflict and stagflation risks
- Housing inflation pressure (7.2% annual)
- Policy impact on household spending
- Unemployment rate steady at 4.3%
- Divergent employment trends across occupations
- Industrial construction subdued
- Investment growth driven by datacentres

## Note on Data Release Schedule

The Ai Group Australian Industry Index data for April 2026 was included in the "Key Australian industry indicators" Economic Intelligence newsletter published on 28 April 2026, with the formal standalone release scheduled for Wednesday 6 May 2026.

All three diffusion indexes remain below zero, indicating ongoing contraction in Australia's industrial sectors (construction, manufacturing, and services). The construction index showed the most significant improvement (+12.1 points), while manufacturing improved only marginally (+0.7) and the overall industry index declined slightly (-0.8).