Economic indicators online
Rates of production increase, manufacturing output falls, and shipments increase. What's going on when with the economy depends on where you look, and there's a lot to see online.On Feb. 16, the U.S. Federal Reserve issued its most recent statistical release on industrial production and capacity utilization.
Rates of production increase, manufacturing output falls, and shipments increase. What’s going on when with the economy depends on where you look, and there’s a lot to see online.
On Feb. 16, the U.S. Federal Reserve issued its most recent statistical release on industrial production and capacity utilization. According to the report, industrial production fell 0.3% in January 2001, 0.5% in December 2000, 0.3% in November 2000, and 0.2% in October 2000. Manufacturing output also continues to decline, most likely due to inclement winter weather, according to the report.
However, rates of production were higher than they were in January 2000—more than 2% higher. Capacity utilization fell, with total industry operating at around 80% capacity.
This report and other economic reports can be found on the U.S. Federal Reserve web site at www.federalreserve.gov/releases/g17/default. htm.
The U.S. Census Bureau has also created several economic reports related to manufacturing. According to its report, “Preliminary Report on Manufacturers’ Shipments, Inventories, and Orders,” new orders for manufactured goods in December 2000 increased $4.1 billion or 1.1% to $382.5 billion. However, shipments of durable goods in December 2000 decreased $0.4 billion or 0.2% to $207.3 billion.
This and other Census Bureau reports can be found at www.census.gov/mcd/.
Other sources
Other places to find economic reports for manufacturing include:
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Manufacturing.Net economic indicators—www.manfacturing.net/economy/main.html.
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U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis—www.bea.doc.gov.
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Economic-Indicators.com, web sites for tracking the U.S. economy—www.economic-indicators.com.
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Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System—www.federalreserve.gov.
Capacity Utilization/Percent of capacity
| 2000 Jan. | 2000 Oct. | 2000 Nov. | 2000 Dec. | 2001 Jan. | Average 1967-2000 | |
| Total industry | 81.9 | 82.0 | 81.4 | 80.7 | 80.2 | 82.1 |
| Manufacturing | 81.2 | 81.2 | 80.4 | 79.2 | 78.9 | 81.1 |
| Advanced processing | 79.4 | 79.9 | 79.7 | 78.8 | 78.6 | 80.6 |
| Primary processing | 85.1 | 84.5 | 82.8 | 81.0 | 80.5 | 82.2 |
| Mining | 84.5 | 86.3 | 86.2 | 86.6 | 88.5 | 87.4 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 89.5 | 92.1 | 98.3 | 92.2 | 87.6 |
| Source: Control Engineering with data from the U.S. Federal Reserve |
Industrial Production
| 1992=100% 2000 Oct. | 1992=100% 2000 Nov. | 1992=100% 2000 Dec. | 1992=100% 2001 Jan. | Percent change 2000 Oct. | Percent change 2000 Nov. | Percent change 2000 Dec. | Percent change 2001 Jan. | |
| Total index | 148.7% | 148.2 | 147.4 | 147.0 | -0.2 | -0.3 | -0.5 | -0.3 |
| Total products | 136.3% | 136.4 | 135.9 | 135.0 | -0.3 | 0 | -0.4 | -0.6 |
| Manufacturing | 154.9% | 154.0 | 152.4 | 152.3 | -0.1 | -0.6 | -1.1 | -0.1 |
| Durable | 197.6% | 196.7 | 194.9 | 194.4 | -0.4 | -0.4 | -0.9 | -0.3 |
| Non-durable | 116.3% | 115.5 | 114.0 | 114.2 | +0.3 | -0.7 | -1.3 | +0.2 |
| Mining | 100.1% | 99.9 | 100.2 | 102.3 | -0.3 | -0.2 | +0.3 | +2.1 |
| Utilities | 120.0% | 123.8 | 132.6 | 124.7 | -1.4 | +3.2 | +7.1 | -6.0 |
| Source: Control Engineering with data from the U.S. Federal Reserve |
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