Growth manufacturing stocks slows down
Manufacturers’ stocks of finished products were 5 percent up in March 2012 on March 2011. In February, stocks grew by 6 percent. Stocks of finished products have been continuously above the level of twelve months previously for over a year now. The index stocks of finished products (2005=100) stood at 106.3 in March versus 106.8 in February.
Stocks of finished products in manufacturing industry (volume)
Manufacturers somewhat more pessimistic about their stocks in May
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 deteriorated marginally in May. The balance of positive and negative answers was -4 versus -3 in the three preceding months. Manufacturers defining their stocks as too large have outnumbered those defining their stocks as too small for more than a year now. Since last year’s summer, the gap has gradually narrowed and has remained stable over the past months. The growth of manufacturing stocks has also slowed down since the summer of 2011.
Opinions on stocks of finished products
