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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2026 | 76.30 | 76.30 | 0.00 |
| Jul 17, 2026 | 76.20 | 76.20 | 0.00 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 76.10 | 76.20 | -0.10 |
| May 15, 2026 | 76.10 | 75.80 | +0.30 |
| Apr 16, 2026 | 75.70 | 76.30 | -0.60 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 76.30 | 76.20 | +0.10 |
| Feb 18, 2026 | 76.20 | 76.50 | -0.30 |
| Jan 16, 2026 | 76.30 | 76.00 | +0.30 |
| Dec 23, 2025 | 75.90 | 75.90 | 0.00 |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 75.90 | 77.30 | -1.40 |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 77.40 | 77.40 | 0.00 |
| Aug 15, 2025 | 77.50 | 77.50 | 0.00 |
| Jul 16, 2025 | 77.60 | 77.40 | +0.20 |
| Jun 17, 2025 | 77.40 | 77.70 | -0.30 |
| May 15, 2025 | 77.70 | 77.80 | -0.10 |
| Apr 16, 2025 | 77.80 | 78.00 | -0.20 |
| Mar 18, 2025 | 78.20 | 77.80 | +0.40 |
| Feb 14, 2025 | 77.80 | 77.70 | +0.10 |
| Jan 17, 2025 | 77.60 | 77.00 | +0.60 |
| Dec 17, 2024 | 76.80 | 77.30 | -0.50 |
| Nov 15, 2024 | 77.10 | 77.20 | -0.10 |
| Oct 17, 2024 | 77.50 | 77.80 | -0.30 |
| Sep 17, 2024 | 78.00 | 77.90 | +0.10 |
| Aug 15, 2024 | 77.80 | 78.50 | -0.70 |
| Jul 17, 2024 | 78.80 | 78.40 | +0.40 |
| Jun 18, 2024 | 78.70 | 78.60 | +0.10 |
| May 16, 2024 | 78.40 | 78.40 | 0.00 |
| Apr 16, 2024 | 78.40 | 78.50 | -0.10 |
| Mar 15, 2024 | 78.30 | 78.50 | -0.20 |
| Feb 15, 2024 | 78.50 | 78.80 | -0.30 |
| Jan 17, 2024 | 78.60 | 78.70 | -0.10 |
| Dec 15, 2023 | 78.80 | 79.10 | -0.30 |
| Nov 16, 2023 | 78.90 | 79.40 | -0.50 |
| Oct 17, 2023 | 79.70 | 79.60 | +0.10 |
| Sep 15, 2023 | 79.70 | 79.30 | +0.40 |
| Aug 16, 2023 | 79.30 | 79.10 | +0.20 |
| Jul 18, 2023 | 78.90 | 79.50 | -0.60 |
| Jun 15, 2023 | 79.60 | 79.70 | -0.10 |
| May 16, 2023 | 79.70 | 79.70 | 0.00 |
| Apr 14, 2023 | 79.80 | 79.00 | +0.80 |
| Mar 17, 2023 | 78.00 | 78.40 | -0.40 |
| Feb 15, 2023 | 78.30 | 79.00 | -0.70 |
| Jan 18, 2023 | 78.80 | 79.60 | -0.80 |
| Dec 15, 2022 | 79.70 | 79.80 | -0.10 |
| Nov 16, 2022 | 79.90 | 80.40 | -0.50 |
| Oct 18, 2022 | 80.30 | 80.00 | +0.30 |
| Sep 15, 2022 | 80.00 | 80.30 | -0.30 |
| Aug 16, 2022 | 80.30 | 80.10 | +0.20 |
| Jul 15, 2022 | 80.00 | 80.60 | -0.60 |
| Jun 17, 2022 | 79.00 | 79.20 | -0.20 |
| Date | First print | Current | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | 76.1 | 76.2 | +0.10 ↑ |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 76.2 | 76.1 | -0.10 ↓ |
