Industrial output grew by 4.3 per cent in February from January

According to Statistics Finland, seasonally adjusted industrial output was 4.3 per cent higher in February 2003 than in January. In January, seasonally adjusted output decreased by 5.2 per cent from December. The data for the early part of the year indicate that the development of cyclical trends in industry is fairly uncertain.

Seasonally adjusted change in the volume of industrial output from
the previous month, %

Industrial output grew by 4.1 per cent in February 2003 from the year before

In February 2003, seasonally adjusted industrial output was 4.1 per cent higher than in February 2002. Output went up by most, or as much as 21.8 per cent, in energy supply. In the manufacture of electronic and electrical products output increased by 17.7 per cent. In the metal industry output rose by 9 per cent from the year before. Output fell by most, or 6.2 per cent, in other manufacturing. In the wood and paper industry, too, output decreased by 1.4 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted change in the volume of industrial output from the corresponding time period of the previous year, %

Seasonally adjusted change in the volume of industrial output 2/2002-2/2003, %

Capacity utilisation rate in manufacturing was good 82 per cent in February, which is almost one percentage point higher than in February 2002. In the pulp and paper industry, capacity utilisation rate was 90 per cent, in the metal industry 83 per cent and in the chemical industry 78 per cent. Capacity utilisation rate in other manufacturing was 76 per cent.

Revised data for February will be published on 30 April 2003 at 8 am in connection with the industrial output data for March. Because of the method used, seasonally adjusted figures for previous months may change even if the original figures do not become revised.

Source: Volume Index of Industrial Output 2003, February. Statistics Finland
StatFin statistical service at: statfin.stat.fi