by Calculated Risk on 12/15/2023 09:15:00 AM

From the Fed: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization

In November, industrial production increased 0.2 percent, and manufacturing output rose 0.3 percent. The increase in manufacturing output was more than accounted for by a 7.1 percent bounceback in motor vehicles and parts production following the resolution of strikes at several major automakers. The index for manufacturing excluding motor vehicles and parts decreased 0.2 percent. The output of utilities moved down 0.4 percent, and the output of mines moved up 0.3 percent. Total industrial production in November was 0.4 percent below its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization moved up 0.1 percentage point to 78.8 percent in November, a rate that is 0.9 percentage point below its long-run (1972–2022) 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 78.8% is 0.9% below the average from 1972 to 2022.  This was below consensus expectations.

Note: y-axis doesn't start at zero to better show the change.

The second graph shows industrial production since 1967.

Industrial production increased to 102.7. This is above the pre-pandemic level.

Industrial production was slightly below consensus expectations.