Industrial production and capacity utilization for September 2000

Released for publication October 17

Industrial production rose 0.2 percent in September. At 146.0 percent of its 1992 average, industrial production was 5.7 percent higher than in September 1999. For the third quarter as a whole, the total index increased at an annual rate of 2.8 percent, the

MARKET GROUPS

The output of consumer goods increased 0.8 percent in September after having edged up 0.1 percent in August. After two months of declines, the production of durable consumer goods increased 1.6 percent. The production of autos and light trucks rose 1.1 percent in September, but for the third quarter as a whole, assemblies were noticeably below the secondquarter rate. Auto parts and allied goods jumped 2.1 percent in September, in large part because of strong gains in the production of replacement tires. The output of other consumer durables moved up 1.6 percent after having fallen 2.2 percent in August. For the third quarter, the production of other consumer durables fell at an annual rate of 5.1 percent, as the output of appliances weakened.