Index of industrial production, January 2003

All the main industrial groupings have, except for energy goods experienced a decrease in output. The output of food products has decreased by 3 per cent and of furniture and other manufacturing goods the decrease is more than 6 per cent. The output of consumer goods decreased by 3.4 per cent.

Decline in output of the intermediate goods

The output of intermediate goods has dropped by approximately 4 per cent, which is related to the output of other non-metallic and mineral products and basic metal. Non-ferrous metals have had a better performance.

Engineering industries

The output of capital goods decreased by almost 2 per cent from November to January, compared with the three previous months. The downturn is related to most parts of the engineering industries, except for machinery and equipment. Electrical and optical equipment has had the most significant decline.

Significant fall in food products

The manufacturing output in Norway has decreased by more than 4 per cent in January 2003 compared with January last year, according to weekly-adjusted figures. These changes are partly related to a significant decrease in the output of food products caused by a sharp decline in the processing and preserving of fish and fish products. Basic chemicals have also seen a significant decrease in the output.

Seasonally adjusted figures

The output in manufacturing increased by 1.5 per cent from December to January, according to seasonally adjusted figures. Pulp, paper and paper products have had a positive development, while basic chemicals experience another significant downturn. The seasonally adjusted figures in January must be evaluated together with the significant decrease in December last year.