Growth manufacturing stocks slightly up

Manufacturers’ stocks of finished products were 5 percent up in February on February 2011. In January, stocks grew by 4 percent. Stocks of finished products have been continuously above the level of twelve months previously for over a year now, but growth has slowed down in the last months. The index stocks of finished products (2005=100) stood at 105.7 in February, versus 104.5 in the preceding month.

Stocks of finished products in manufacturing industry (volume)

Manufacturers’ opinions about their stocks remained stable in April

The Business Sentiment Survey for the Manufacturing Industry provides a first indication for further development of the index stocks of finished products. 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 stocks of finished products.

Manufacturers’ opinions on their stocks did not change in April. The balance of positive and negative answers was -3, the same as in the two preceding months. Manufacturers defining their stocks as too large have outnumbered those defining their stocks as too small for a year now, but since the summer of 2011, the gap has narrowed. Manufacturers’ less negative opinions about their stocks are in line with the decreasing growth of their stocks.

Opinions on stocks of finished products