Consumption Activity Index

The Consumption Activity Index (CAI) is a monthly and quarterly measure of short-term private consumption activity in the Japanese economy, published by the Research and Statistics Department of the Bank of Japan. This index is crucial for understanding business cycles and making judgments on the overall health of the macroeconomy, as private consumption accounts for about half of Japan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The CAI is created using a range of sales and supply-side statistics on goods and services, providing nominal and real indexes, indexes with/without travel balance adjustments, and breakdowns by type of goods and services to cater to various analytical requirements. The data is typically released at 2:00 p.m. on the fifth business day of each month, though the release schedule can change.

The Bank of Japan's Research and Statistics Department offers charts and data to assist various stakeholders interested in economic and financial developments. However, users should be aware that these resources may undergo unscheduled changes, revisions, or terminations. Anyone wishing to reproduce or copy any content for commercial purposes must first obtain permission from the Bank of Japan's Research and Statistics Department and must credit the source when quoting, reproducing, or copying.