Capacity usage down in August

ISTANBUL

The capacity utilization rate (CUR) in the manufacturing sector declined from 78.2 percent in July to 76.7 percent in August, data from the Central Bank showed on Aug. 25.

In the durable consumer goods, the usage rate increased from 75 percent to 77.2, but in the non-durable goods sector CUR retreated from 75.7 percent to 74.4 percent.

Companies operating in the consumer goods sector worked at 74.9 percent in August, down from the previous month’s 75.6 percent.

In the food industry, the capacity utilization rate fell from 75.6 percent to 74.9 percent, while in the intermediate goods sector the rate was down from 79.2 percent in July to 78.3 percent in August.

The CUR was 72.2 percent in the capital goods sector, declining from 76.7 percent.

Separate data the Central Bank released on Aug. 25 showed that the real estate sector confidence index dropped from 103.7 in July to 102.1 in August.

Any index figure above the 100-mark indicates optimism among companies.

The sub-index for production volume in the next three months increased from 114.7 in July to 116.7 in August, but the index for orders received in the past three months was down from 104.8 to 95.8. The index for export orders in the next three months also declined from 114.9 to 111.7.

The index measuring companies’ assessment of the general business situation inched up from 78.2 in July to 79.7 in August.

Meanwhile, confidence in the services and retail trade sectors fell by 1.3 percent and 0.4 percent in August from July, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) said on Aug. 25.

In the construction sector, however, confidence improved 1.5 percent month-on-month.