Capacity Utilization measures the percentage of an economy's total productive capacity that is currently being used by industries such as manufacturing, mining, and utilities. It provides insight into the overall health of the industrial sector and the degree of slack in the economy. High utilization rates, typically above 82-85%, can signal supply constraints and potential inflationary pressures. Conversely, low utilization suggests economic weakness and a lack of demand.
The rate is calculated as the ratio of the Industrial Production Index to an index of full-capacity output. The Federal Reserve estimates capacity based on surveys of plant operations and capital investment data.
| Date | Actual | Forecast | Surprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2026 | — | 74.90 | — |
| Aug 21, 2026 | 73.50 | 74.00 | -0.50 |
| Jul 22, 2026 | 73.90 | 74.70 | -0.80 |
| Jun 19, 2026 | 74.50 | 74.40 | +0.10 |
| May 22, 2026 | 74.20 | 74.10 | +0.10 |
| Apr 21, 2026 | 73.80 | 73.10 | +0.70 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | 73.30 | 73.00 | +0.30 |
| Feb 20, 2026 | 73.50 | 74.20 | -0.70 |
| Jan 22, 2026 | 74.10 | — | — |
| Dec 25, 2025 | 74.40 | 75.00 | -0.60 |
| Nov 24, 2025 | 74.40 | 74.40 | 0.00 |
| Oct 27, 2025 | 74.20 | 74.00 | +0.20 |
| Sep 24, 2025 | 74.00 | 73.70 | +0.30 |
| Aug 25, 2025 | 73.50 | 74.40 | -0.90 |
| Jul 25, 2025 | 74.20 | 74.90 | -0.70 |
| Jun 24, 2025 | 74.60 | 75.50 | -0.90 |
| May 22, 2025 | 75.00 | 74.20 | +0.80 |
| Apr 24, 2025 | 74.30 | 74.50 | -0.20 |
| Mar 25, 2025 | 74.40 | 74.90 | -0.50 |
| Feb 24, 2025 | 74.50 | 74.70 | -0.20 |
| Jan 27, 2025 | 74.60 | 75.80 | -1.20 |
| Dec 25, 2024 | 75.80 | 77.50 | -1.70 |
| Nov 25, 2024 | 76.10 | 75.10 | +1.00 |
| Oct 25, 2024 | 74.90 | 75.00 | -0.10 |
| Sep 24, 2024 | 74.90 | 76.00 | -1.10 |
| Aug 26, 2024 | 75.40 | 76.10 | -0.70 |
| Jul 25, 2024 | 75.90 | 76.80 | -0.90 |
| Jun 24, 2024 | 76.30 | 77.10 | -0.80 |
| May 27, 2024 | 76.30 | 77.00 | -0.70 |
| Apr 24, 2024 | 76.70 | 76.20 | +0.50 |
| Mar 22, 2024 | 76.20 | 76.20 | 0.00 |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 76.40 | 76.50 | -0.10 |
| Jan 25, 2024 | 76.20 | 77.00 | -0.80 |
| Dec 26, 2023 | 77.50 | 78.40 | -0.90 |
| Nov 24, 2023 | 78.00 | 76.70 | +1.30 |
| Oct 25, 2023 | 77.40 | 77.00 | +0.40 |
| Sep 25, 2023 | 77.30 | 75.20 | +2.10 |
| Aug 25, 2023 | 76.10 | 77.50 | -1.40 |
| Jul 25, 2023 | 77.10 | 77.10 | 0.00 |
| Jun 21, 2023 | 76.80 | 75.80 | +1.00 |
| May 24, 2023 | 76.00 | 75.50 | +0.50 |
| Apr 24, 2023 | 75.40 | 73.80 | +1.60 |
| Mar 27, 2023 | 73.50 | 77.60 | -4.10 |
| Feb 22, 2023 | 75.20 | 75.00 | +0.20 |
| Jan 25, 2023 | 75.30 | 76.70 | -1.40 |
| Dec 26, 2022 | 76.40 | 75.50 | +0.90 |
| Nov 24, 2022 | 75.90 | 76.70 | -0.80 |
| Oct 25, 2022 | 76.90 | — | — |
| Sep 26, 2022 | 77.40 | 76.20 | +1.20 |
| Aug 25, 2022 | 76.70 | 78.60 | -1.90 |
| Jul 25, 2022 | 78.20 | 78.50 | -0.30 |
