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Current issue date
The Alberta Activity Index was updated on November 25, 2021 to include September 2021 data.
Alberta Activity Index
Activity eases
- The Alberta Activity Index (AAX) levelled off in September after easing in previous months.
- The index rose 0.1% month-over-month (m/m), propped up by solid gains in labour market and energy sector activity. These were partly offset by lower general business and household activity, which continued to retreat from their recent peaks in April 2021.
- The labour market component rose for the third consecutive month as employment advanced and returned to pre-pandemic levels, offsetting a modest decline in earnings. Strong drilling activity and oil production also boosted energy sector activity. On the other hand, weaker manufacturing shipments and new truck sales continued to weigh on general business activity. Household activity also dipped as the strength in retail sales was overshadowed by a pullback in housing starts from the exceptionally strong pace seen in the spring and summer.
- The AAX remained up 9.4% year-to-date (YTD), with broad-based recovery across most subcomponents when considered on a YTD basis.
Chart: Year-over-year change in Alberta Activity Index and real GDP
(to September 2021)
Source: Alberta Treasury Board and Finance
Data table
The following file is available in the Open Government Portal:
- Alberta Activity Index Data Table (January 1981 to September 2021)
About the Alberta Activity Index
Developed by Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, the Alberta Activity Index (AAX) is a weighted average of 9 monthly indicators:
- employment
- average weekly earnings
- retail trade
- wholesale trade
- manufacturing shipments
- new truck sales
- housing starts
- rigs drilling
- oil production
For more information on the AAX, please see the Introducing the Alberta Activity Index inFocus from the April 2017 Economic Trends (PDF, 281 KB).
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Contact
Forrest Evans, Senior Economist
Alberta Treasury Board and Finance
Phone: 780-427-7391
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]
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