Manufacturing activity rose in January to 51.24

In January 2026, the Monthly Manufacturing Activity Index (IMAM) stood at 51.24, increasing compared to the previous month’s value (49.1) and rising above the 50 threshold. This behavior was mainly due to the increase in the variables “sales”, “production” and “employment”.

This index is composed of five variables: sales, production, jobs, inventories, and delivery times.

In January, three of the five variables showed an upward trend compared to December. “Sales volume” went from 48.30 to 50.16; “production volume” went from 47.90 to 51.32; “employment” went from 48.04 to 54.00. In contrast, “raw materials inventory” went from 52.94 to 52.00, and “supplier delivery time” decreased from 52.94 to 48.00.

It is important to understand that the IMAM is an adaptation of the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) to the reality of the Dominican manufacturing sector, constituting a portrait of the manufacturing activity of a month in relation to the previous one, quickly and easily. Results above the 50 threshold indicate a positive performance for the industry and greater activity in relation to the previous month, while results below indicate less activity in relation to the previous month.

About the IMAM

Due to the possibility of conducting surveys and receiving their responses quickly, this indicator allows obtaining information on economic trends prior to the publication of official statistics and serves as a reference for economists, opinion makers, and decision-makers, anticipating the trends of the economic performance of the sector.

The index is built through monthly surveys conducted with the general managers and/or purchasing managers of the companies associated with AIRD. The data is collected during the first 20 days of the month following through online surveys.