Mood among manufacturers deteriorates slightly

After an improvement in August, the mood among manufacturers deteriorated in September. Producer confidence stood at -0.1 versus + 0.4 one month previously.

Producer confidence consists of three component indicators: expected output in the next three months, producers’ opinions on stocks of finished products and their opinions on their order books.

Producers were slightly less optimistic about their future output than in August, but manufacturers expecting production to grow still clearly outnumbered those expecting a downturn. Manufacturers’ opinions on their stocks of finished products also deteriorated slightly. On the other hand, manufacturers were marginally less negative about their order positions.

In September, manufacturers were less negative about future employment. The number of manufacturers expecting employment in their branch to increase in the next three months virtually equalled those anticipating a decline.

Producer confidence in manufacturing industry