The US Federal Reserve today published its monthly statistical release on industrial production for December 2015, with some data for Q4 2015. The overall position is that of a slight decline both month on month, and year on year.
US industrial production fell back by 0.4% in December compared to November 2015, primarily as a result of cutbacks for utilities and mining. On an annual basis (compared to December 2014) there was a fall in total industrial production of 1.8%. The index for industrial production is now 106.0%, with 2012 = 100.
For the fourth quarter as a whole, industrial production fell at an annual rate of 3.4%
In December Manufacturing output slipped back slightly by 0.1% month on month, but was up 0.8% year on year. However, it fell by 0.5% year on year in the fourth quarter.
The index for utilities dropped 2.0% on November (to 96%), as continued warmer-than-usual temperatures reduced demand for heating.
Mining production fell 0.8% in December, its fourth consecutive monthly decline, largely due to a large drop in coal-mining.
Both mining and utilities indices recorded annual falls of more than 15% percent in the fourth quarter.
