30 October 2001
Inquiries: Mr Arto Kokkinen +358 9 1734
3355, arto.kokkinen@stat.fi
Director in charge: Mr Markku Suur-Kujala
Total output fell by 0.6 per cent in August from one year ago
The volume of total output was 0.6 per cent smaller in August 2001 than in August 2000. Output fell in August in four of the six main industries, i.e. primary production, manufacturing, construction and trade, included in the Monthly Indicator of Total Output calculated by Statistics Finland. The industry of public services and other services continued to grow. Output in transport was unchanged from August 2000. According to the Monthly Indicator, total output has increased in all by 1.4 per cent during the January to August period this year when compared to the corresponding months last year.
Industrial output went down by nearly 2 per cent in August. Output in the manufacture of electrical products increased by 6 per cent, but in the wood and paper industry output fell by 12 per cent.
Output in trade declined by nearly one per cent. Within trade, retail trade grew by four per cent. Wholesale trade went down by 2 per cent and car sales by 8 per cent. In agriculture and forestry output fell by 6 per cent in August, due to the decline in meat production and fellings.
Output in the transport industry remained unchanged from last year's August. Post and telecommunications and road transport grew, while railway transport went down by 6 per cent. Output in other services and public services rose by slightly under 2 per cent. Construction contracted by 3.5 per cent.
From February to June total output has fallen in comparison to the previous month. In July, however, total output remained unchanged from June. In August total output grew again compared to July. The volume of total output was 39 per cent higher in August this year than at the depth of the recession in March 1993.
The Monthly Indicator of Total Output is based on twelve monthly series on different sectors of the economy. The series are summed up by weighting.
Source: Monthly Indicator of Total Output 2001, August. Statistics Finland