No change in industrial output

Production in oil and gas extraction, manufacturing, mining and quarrying and electricity supply (the overall index) declined 1.0 per cent from February to March 1999 according to the seasonally adjusted figures. Industrial production increased by 1.5 per cent during the same period. Relevant seasonally adjusted figures must be viewed as more uncertain than normal.

Manufacturing output in March was 2.4 per cent lower than during the same month in 1998, going by the weekly corrected figures. Compared with fourth quarter 1998, manufacturing output was virtually unchanged in the first quarter of this year. The activity level is high, but a slowdown in new orders and greater competition in many industries may have put pressure on current production levels.

This result and the results for a few other sectors are viewed as uncertain because Easter was split between March and April this year. Experience has shown that it is difficult to obtain precise information on production activities during the Easter holiday. The problem is exacerbated when Easter is divided, mainly because it is difficult to determine the extent of holiday shutdowns. It is consequently hard to say what effect Easter has had on manufacturing output before the figures for April are ready.

Increase in chemical and oil refining
The chemical industry and oil refining showed a clear seasonally adjusted increase from February to March. An increase in demand and exports in recent months pushed up production in the chemical industry. One of the main players in oil refining reported record-high production in March 1999. These industries otherwise show an increase compared with the same month last year. The first quarter was also good for the electrical and optical equipment industries, which showed a 3.6 per cent increase driven by higher demand.

New Statistics
Index of production, March 1999.
The statistics are published monthly in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. For more information contact: Oyvind.Naustdal@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 47 35, or Tom.Langer.Andersen@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 47 29.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 19, 1999