Overview
- Utilization rose to 61.1% from 59.4% in August, yet it was 1.1 percentage points under September 2024’s 62.2%.
- Stronger performers operated above the national average, led by petroleum refining at 88.9%, basic metals at 70.4%, food and beverages at 69.2%, paper at 65.0%, and chemicals at 63.7%.
- Weaker areas included non‑metallic minerals at 58.6%, automotive at 57.1%, publishing and printing at 55.2%, tobacco at 48.7%, metalworking excluding autos at 43.5%, rubber and plastics at 42.9%, and textiles at 37.1%.
- Interannual moves were stark, with refining up by more than 10 points, textiles down by more than 14 points, and rubber and plastics sliding from 49.9% to 42.9%.
- Production signals remain soft, with manufacturing down 0.1% month over month and 3.6% since May, mining up 2.1% year over year, construction up 0.9% on the month, and economists describing an extended floor near pandemic‑era levels.