Industrial production increased 0.9 percent in January. Manufacturing output rose 1.0 percent, about the same as its average gain over the previous five months. Mining production advanced 2.3 percent, while the output of utilities declined 1.2 percent. At 107.2 percent of its 2012 average, total industrial production in January was 1.8 percent lower than its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector increased 0.7 percentage point in January to 75.6 percent, a rate that is 4.0 percent below its long-run (1972–2020) average.
emphasis added
Click on graph for larger image.
This graph shows Capacity Utilization. This series is up from the record low set in April, but still below the level in February 2020.
Capacity utilization at 75.6% is 4.0% below the average from 1972 to 2019.
Note: y-axis doesn’t start at zero to better show the change.
The second graph shows industrial production since 1967.
Industrial production increased in January to 107.2. This is 1.9% below the February 2020 level.
The change in industrial production was above consensus expectations.