Production at U.S. Companies Rises .1% in December 2023

Production at U.S. Companies rose slightly at .1% which is a small positive sign considering for the year the U.S. was down and not at a high production capacity. Its small improvement but also a sign we need to do much more to improve our manufacturing base and sell those products at a price consumers will prefer them. While we do well in many high tech industries we need to do better on those products that have wide global appeal and can be improved through human capital development that is        matched with emerging technologies. 

[Products needed by most people and market leading root products are the two places that come to mind when I think of focus. There may also be opportunities to develop new industries as the environment becomes much more digitized. I have a theory on how to enhance, combine, and innovate cluster participating industries. With luck develop whole new industries based on scientific breakthroughs that comes through putting the right elements in the right place within a cluster. Innovation comes from things like market need/incentive, research/info, resources, and environment. There is more but you get the point.]. 

Let us see what happens this year because there are some infrastructure changes that might influence things......

You may want to read an analysis in Business Standard U.S. Production Edges Up 

Overview of the Federal Reserve Report Industrial Manufacturing Federal Reserve up .1% 

"Industrial production moved up 0.1 percent in December and declined 3.1 percent at an annual rate in the fourth quarter. Manufacturing output edged up 0.1 percent in December after increasing 0.2 percent in November. The index for utilities declined 1.0 percent in December, while the index for mining rose 0.9 percent. At 102.5 percent of its 2017 average, total industrial production in December was 1 percent above its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization was unchanged in December at 78.6 percent, a rate that is 1.1 percentage points below its long-run (1972–2022) average."

A few things to think about....

What do you think about the small manufacturing bump? A long term sign of growth or just a small blip? What is a trend [How many months?]? If localized in the auto industry or other industries could that give a hint to what might come next? Any underlining trends that might cause this? What is an environmental scan? 

Consider Reuters Eeks Out Small Gain