Manufacturers remain very optimistic

Manufacturing companies remain very optimistic. The producer confidence index was 7.9 in September 2006. This is about the same as in August. In the past twelve months producer confidence has improved substantially. A year ago, the producer confidence index was 1.3.

Producer confidence is the mood indicator for the manufacturing industry. The figure consists of three component indicators: expected production over the next three months, manufacturers’ opinions on the stock of finished products and the order position.

In September manufacturing companies were equallly satisfied about their future output and order books as in the preceding month. The manufacturers were slightly less optimistic about their stocks of finished products. Producers of investment goods were considerably more positive about their output in the nearby future.

The Business Sentiment Survey of September shows that opinions in most of the branches have not changed much from August on September.

Producer confidence in manufacturing industry