by Calculated Risk on 11/15/2024 09:15:00 AM

Earlier from the Fed: Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization

Industrial production (IP) decreased 0.3 percent in October after declining 0.5 percent in September. A strike at a major producer of civilian aircraft held down total IP growth by an estimated 0.3 percentage point in September and 0.2 percentage point in October. Hurricane Milton and the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene together reduced October IP growth 0.1 percentage point. In October, manufacturing output moved down 0.5 percent, the index for mining rose 0.3 percent, and the index for utilities gained 0.7 percent. At 102.3 percent of its 2017 average, total IP in October was 0.3 percent below its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization moved down to 77.1 percent in October, a rate that is 2.6 percentage points below its long-run (1972–2023) 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 77.1% is 2.6% below the average from 1972 to 2023.  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 decreased to 102.3. This is above the pre-pandemic level.

Industrial production was below consensus expectations.

The Boeing strike and hurricanes impacted the report this month.