Industrial output in May at previous month's level

According to Statistics Finland, seasonally adjusted industrial output was at the same level in May 2003 as in April. In April, seasonally adjusted output increased by 0.7 per cent from March. Over the January to May period of this year seasonally adjusted industrial output was also at the same level as over the corresponding period of last year.

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

Industrial output fell by 1.5 per cent from the year before

Seasonally adjusted industrial output was 1.5 per cent lower in May 2003 than in May 2002. Output went down by most, or by close on 7 per cent, in the manufacture of electronic and electrical products. In other metal industry output fell by nearly 5 per cent. The biggest output increase of 24.8 per cent was recorded in energy supply. In the wood and paper industry output went up by 3.9 per cent and in the chemical industry by 1.1 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 5/2002-5/2003, %

Capacity utilisation rate in manufacturing was just under 85 per cent in May, which is 1.5 percentage points lower than in May 2002. In the pulp and paper industry, capacity utilisation rate was 93 per cent, in the metal industry a little short of 85 per cent and in the chemical industry 80 per cent. Capacity utilisation rate in other manufacturing was 79 per cent.

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

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