G17: Revised Estimates of Industrial Capacity

The estimates for industrial capacity in 2013 were revised for today's G.17 release. The revisions reflect updated measures of physical capacity from various government and trade sources as well as updated estimates of industry capital spending. Capacity for the industrial sector, measured from the fourth quarter of 2012 to the fourth quarter of 2013, is now expected to increase 1.8 percent, a rate that is 0.1 percentage point slower than previously estimated. Manufacturing capacity is expected to rise 1.6 percent in 2013, a pace 0.2 percentage point less than in previous estimates. Relative to the previous estimates, faster gains in the high-technology and motor vehicles industries have been more than offset by slower gains elsewhere in manufacturing. The increase in mining capacity for 2013 has been revised upward by 0.5 percentage point to 4.4 percent, while the change in capacity for utilities, at 0.9 percent, is 0.2 percentage point faster than previously estimated.]]>