Industrial output fell by 2.2 per cent in March from February

According to Statistics Finland, seasonally adjusted industrial output went down by 2.2 per cent in March 2003 from February. In February seasonally adjusted output increased by 3.4 per cent from January. In the first quarter of this year, seasonally adjusted output decreased by 3.3 per cent compared to the last quarter of last year.

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

Industrial output down by 2 per cent from the year before

In March 2003, seasonally adjusted industrial output was 2 per cent lower than in March 2002. Output decreased most in the manufacture of electronic and electrical products, by 14.9 per cent. Output in the rest of the metal industry fell by 2.4 per cent. Output increased most in energy supply, by 18.4 per cent. Output in the chemical industry rose by 5.2 per cent and in the paper and paper industry by 4.8 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 3/2002-3/2003, %

Capacity utilisation rate in manufacturing was good 83 per cent in March, which is over 3 percentage point less than in March 2002. In the pulp and paper industry, capacity utilisation rate was 91 per cent, in the metal industry 83 per cent and in the chemical industry 81 per cent. Capacity utilisation rate in other manufacturing was 78 per cent.

Revised data for March will be published on 30 May 2003 at 8 am in connection with the industrial output data for April. 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, March. Statistics Finland
StatFin statistical service at: statfin.stat.fi