by Calculated Risk on 9/20/2011 11:15:00 AM

From the Philly Fed:

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has released the coincident indexes for the 50 states for August 2011. In the past month, the indexes increased in 26 states, decreased in 17, and remained unchanged in seven for a one-month diffusion index of 18. Over the past three months, the indexes increased in 33 states, decreased in 16, and remained unchanged in one (Maryland) for a three-month diffusion index of 34.

Note: These are coincident indexes constructed from state employment data. From the Philly Fed:

The coincident indexes combine four state-level indicators to summarize current economic conditions in a single statistic. The four state-level variables in each coincident index are nonfarm payroll employment, average hours worked in manufacturing, the unemployment rate, and wage and salary disbursements deflated by the consumer price index (U.S. city average). The trend for each state’s index is set to the trend of its gross domestic product (GDP), so long-term growth in the state’s index matches long-term growth in its GDP.

Click on graph for larger image.

This is a graph is of the number of states with one month increasing activity according to the Philly Fed. This graph includes states with minor increases (the Philly Fed lists as unchanged).

In August, 30 states had increasing activity, the lowest number since January 2010. Looking back at previous recessions, the current level is close to when the U.S. entered recession - however it is important to remember that August was an especially weak month due to the debt ceiling debate.

In February, 47 states showed increasing activity.

Here is a map of the three month change in the Philly Fed state coincident indicators. Several states have turned red again. This map was all red during the worst of the recession, and all green not long ago.

Earlier:
• Housing Starts decline in August