Durable Goods Production Growth Accelerates

(Positive) The durable goods industrial production index was 104.6 in December 2016. In December, the index grew 1.1 percent compared with one year ago, which was the second fastest rate of growth since February 2015. That was the seventh month in a row and the eighth time in nine months that the index grew. While the rates of change generally have been small, the rate of growth has accelerated somewhat the last four months. The annual rate of growth accelerated for the fourth month in a row. Even though the rate of growth, 0.5 percent, was still quite low, it was the fastest rate of annual growth since November 2015.

We track industrial production and its leading indicators for a number of industries. Click on the links below to see how each industry is faring.

Accelerating Growth: appliances, automotive, durable goods, electronics/computers/telecommunications, hardware, HVAC, medical, 

Decelerating Growth: construction materials, food/beverage, petrochemical processors, textiles/clothing/leather goods

Accelerating Contraction: custom processors, furniture, plastic/rubber products, printing, ship/boat building 

Decelerating Contraction: aerospace, forming/fabricating (non-auto), industrial motors/hydraulics/mechanical components, machinery/equipment, metalcutting job shops, military, off-road/construction machinery, oil/gas-field/mining machinery, power generation, primary metals, pumps/valves/plumbing, wood/paper