Manufacturing stocks decrease continuously for a year

Manufacturers had reduced their stocks of finished products by more than 12 percent in March compared with March 2009. The decrease in March was somewhat less substantial than in the first two months of 2010. For 12 months in a row, stocks have consistently been lower than one year previously. The index stocks of finished products (2005=100) dropped to 96.0 in March. The reduction of manufacturing stocks occurred simultaneously with a strong increase in manufacturing turnover in March.

Stocks of finished products manufacturing industry (volume)

Manufacturers consider stocks too small

The Business Sentiment Survey for the manufacturing industry provides a first indication of the development of the index stocks of finished products in the near future. In this survey, manufacturers are invited to define their current stocks of finished products as too large (negative), normal or too small (positive) in relation to projected sales. These results are available two months earlier than data on the stocks of finished products.

Manufacturers’ opinions on their stocks improved further in May. For the first time in three years, manufacturers evaluating their stocks as too small now outnumbered those evaluating them as too large. Manufacturers are clearly more optimistic about the level of their stocks than a year ago. This optimism is consistent with the reduction in their stocks during the past year.

Opinions on stocks of finished products