The index value for turnover in manufacturing was 177.7 (2005=100) in the third quarter of 2021 compared to 169.5 in the second quarter of 2021 according to In order to facilitate the interpretation of the short-term development, statistics on turnover publish three-month moving averages of the seasonally-adjusted figures. We normally compare the latest non-overlapping three-month periods. Seasonally-adjusted monthly changes must be interpreted with caution.. The increase in manufacturing turnover the last three-month period is fueled by higher prices and high demand from the export market.

Figure 1. Index of turnover for manufacturing. Seasonally adjusted. Three-month moving average¹. 2005=100

¹ The index value for period m is the average of period m, m-1 and m-2.

Three-month change: fabricated metal products and food products pulls up

Total Norwegian manufacturing turnover increased by 5.0 per cent in the third quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2021. A wide rise in prices and a high turnover in the export market was an important factor to this growth.

Fabricated metal products and the food and beverages industry contributed the most to the increase in manufacturing turnover with an increase of 20 and 9.7 per cent respectively. Metal products also contributed to the positive development in the manufacturing turnover.

Monthly change: manufacturing turnover increases in September

Seasonally-adjusted figures show that the turnover in Norwegian manufacturing increased by 5.2 per cent from August to September 2021 according to seasonally-adjusted figures.

The industry grouping building of ships and platforms and the industry grouping refined petroleum, chemicals and pharmaceutical products contributed the most to the positive development in manufacturing turnover with its increase of 36 and 10 per cent respectively. Food products also contributed to this development.

Reduced turnover in non-ferrous metals contributed the most to curbing the increase in the manufacturing turnover in this period.

Figure 2. Selected industries. Seasonally adjusted. Three-month moving average¹

¹ The index value for period m is the average of period m, m-1 and m-2.

Monthly change: decrease in manufacturing turnover in the euro area in August 2021

Manufacturing turnover in the euro area decreased by 1.4 percent from July to August 2021, according to seasonally-adjusted figures. Total Norwegian manufacturing turnover decreased by 0.2 percent in the same period. In the other Scandinavian countries, the turnover in Denmark and Sweden decreased by 6.4 and 2.4 per cent respectively, according to Eurostat.

Thursday 12th of March 2020 the Norwegian government introduced actions against the spreading of the Corona-virus in Norway. Several manufacturing establishment have been affected by these measures, and this has led to a change in the activity pattern compared to what we usually observe. Hence, the seasonal adjustment routine during the Corona- crisis is done in such a way that the figures during the crisis (from March), are not included in the basis for the calculation of the seasonal pattern. Technically, in the seasonal adjustment routine this is done by specifying March and the following months as outliers.

This implies that normal trend figures will not be calculated, and instead the trend will follow the seasonal adjusted figures. One important exception is the last observation, where the trend will be an extrapolated figure where the last observation is not included. The trend figures from, and including, March 2020 will therefore be difficult to interpret.

The seasonal adjustment routine of Statics Norway is in line with the recommendations of Eurostat.