Tracking Midwest manufacturing activity

The Midwest Manufacturing Index rose slightly less than the industrial production index for the nation in February, but was revised slightly upward in January to show a modest gain, versus a 0.3% decline nationwide. The region should get a boost over the next few months from GM's efforts to recapture some of its strike-related production loses.

Midwest manufacturing activity may have plateaued in March, but the underly ing trend in the region continues to be positive. The composite index of production from the region's purchasing managers' surveys dropped to 49.8%, which corresponds to virtually no change in production. The Detroit survey accounted for the bulk of the decline, which may reflect the GM strike.

Copyright Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago May 1996
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