From the Fed: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization
In January, total industrial production increased 1.4 percent. Manufacturing output and mining production rose 0.2 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively. The index for utilities jumped 9.9 percent; after being held down in December by unusually mild weather, the demand for heating surged in January with the arrival of significantly colder-than-normal temperatures. At 103.5 percent of its 2017 average, total industrial production in January was 4.1 percent higher than its year-earlier level and 2.1 percent above its pre-pandemic (February 2020) reading. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector increased 1.0 percentage point in January to 77.6 percent, a rate that is 1.9 percentage points below its long-run (1972–2021) average.
emphasis added Click on graph for larger image.
This graph shows Capacity Utilization. This series is up from the record low set in April 2020, and above the level in February 2020 (pre-pandemic).
Capacity utilization at 77.6% is 1.9% below the average from 1972 to 2020. This was above consensus expectations.
Note: y-axis doesn’t start at zero to better show the change.
