More stocks of finished products manufacturing industry

Manufacturers’ stocks of finished products were 5 percent up in January from January 2012. The increase is more substantial than in December 2012, when stocks were 1 percent up from one year previously. The figures have been adjusted for price changes.

Stocks of finished products in manufacturing industry (volume)

Manufacturers more optimistic about their stocks in March

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 small (positive), normal or too large (negative) in relation to projected sales. These results are available two months earlier than data on stocks of finished products.

Manufacturers’ opinions on their stocks have improved somewhat in March. The number of manufacturers defining their stocks as too small was almost the same as the number of manufacturers defining their stocks as too large. In the preceding two years, manufacturers who thought their stocks were too large had always distinctly outnumbered those evaluating their stocks as too small.

Opinions on stocks of finished products

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.

For more information on economic indicators, see the Economic Monitor.