After having risen more substantially in January, the production of business equipment edged up 0.1 percent in February to stand 10.4 percent above its year-ago level.
Among the major categories of business equipment, the production of information processing equipment climbed for a second consecutive month, but the indexes for transit equipment and for industrial and other equipment turned down.
The index for defense and space equipment increased further, with again of 0.5 percent that reflected the settlement of a strike at a producer of guided missiles and space vehicles.
The production of business supplies rose 1.2 percent and was bolstered by a rebound in the output of commercial energy products; the production of non-energy business supplies was little changed.
The index for construction supplies decreased 0.2 percent. Production gains for construction supplies have moderated so far this year after strong advances in the fourth quarter of last year.
The production of industrial materials rose 0.7 percent. The output of energy materials gained 1.6 percent. Among non-energy materials, the output of both non durables and durables rose 0.3percent, with gains of more than 1 percent in the indexes for equipment parts (in durables)and paper materials(in nondurables).
Industry Groups Manufacturing production was unchanged in February, and the factory operating rate edged down to 80.4 percent.
The output ofdurable goods increased 0.2 percent. The largest gains were in aerospace and miscellaneous transportation equipment, furniture and related products, computer and electronic products, and fabricated metal products.
marketing@alchempro.com
