Updated
Updated · Forex Factory · Sep 18
US Industrial Output Stalls in August as Manufacturing Falls 0.3%
Updated
Updated · Forex Factory · Sep 18

US Industrial Output Stalls in August as Manufacturing Falls 0.3%

3 articles · Updated · Forex Factory · Sep 18

Summary

  • US Industrial production was flat in August from July, while factory output slipped 0.3%, marking the main drag in the Federal Reserve’s report.
  • Utilities rose 1.8% on the month and mining added 0.1%, offsetting the manufacturing decline enough to leave overall output unchanged.
  • Industrial production still ran 1.4% above a year earlier; manufacturing was up 0.9%, mining 0.3%, and utilities 6.2%.
  • Capacity utilization held at 76.3%, unchanged from July and 3.1 percentage points below its long-run average, underscoring still-muted operating pressure.

Insights

Since factories are operating below capacity, could this hidden industrial slack be the secret weapon against future inflation?
Despite a national manufacturing dip, why are regions like Texas experiencing a sudden boom in production and new orders?
With AI driving a massive utility surge, is traditional U.S. manufacturing being permanently left behind?