SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The BTS Sales Index decreased by 1.9 points (2.0%) in the month of May, down to 105.7. The 1,000 companies of the BTS Sales Index reported aggregate revenue of $3.287 trillion, down from $3.349 trillion in April, a $63 billion decrease. This is the second consecutive month of decreases for the index, which BTS began tracking in October 2017.
The decrease in the BTS Sales Index reflects slower than predicted growth in inventory, consumer spending, and exports, although these are expected to accelerate in coming months. Wages continue to grow modestly in comparison with hiring growth. Trade policies are expected to slow down business investments and create cost-cutting strategies due to the higher cost of products. Despite the lower BTS Sales Index this month, the economy shows signs of continued health such as increased hiring, especially in retail and healthcare, along with steady growth in construction and manufacturing. Interest rates are also expected to increase in June.
What is the BTS Sales Index?
The BTS Sales Index is a simple and predictive monthly metric that gives enterprise leaders the right vantage point by which to view their critical business decisions.
It represents the aggregate total revenue of the 1,000 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. in one easy-to-understand number. Every month, the total revenue reported by these companies is run through BTS’ custom-built indexing tool. The index uses Q2 2013 numbers as a baseline based on the quarter’s stable economic recovery indicators.
The BTS Sales Index is published in the first week of every month, reflecting the previous month’s data, along with context such as industry-specific trends and job rates that impact revenue.
Find the BTS Sales Index here.
About BTS
BTS is a global professional services firm headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, with 650 professionals in 33 offices located on six continents. We focus on the people side of strategy, working with leaders at all levels to help them make better decisions, convert those decisions to actions and deliver results. For 30 years, we've been designing fun, powerful experiences that have a profound and lasting impact on people and their careers. It’s strategy made personal.
BTS is a public company trading on the Nasdaq Stockholm under the symbol BTS B.