Chicago Fed: CFMMI Falls 0.8% in February to 82.6

The Chicago Fed Midwest manufacturing index dipped 0.8% in February to a seasonally adjusted level of 82.6 after the January report showed a revised 2.0% increase to 83.2, originally reported as a 1.9% gain to 83.1, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Tuesday.

Nationally, the Fed’s industrial production index for manufacturing fell 0.2% in February. Overall regional manufacturing output dropped 0.5% from a year earlier, compared to 2.0% growth nationally.

The regional auto sector’s output dropped 2.8% in the month, after a 4.7% gain in January, while national output was down 1.7%. Nationally, auto sector output soared 6.1% from a year ago while the Midwest auto sector’s output jumped 10.0% year-over-year, the Fed said.

The regional machinery sector’s output dropped 0.2% in the month, following a 1.7% increase in January. Nationally, machinery sector output climbed 0.8% in the month. On a year-over-year basis, machinery output slid 12.8% in the region while rising 3.8% in the nation.

The regional steel sector’s output increased 0.9% in the month, following a 1.5% gain in January. Nationally, steel sector output was up 0.2% in the month. On a year-over-year basis, steel output fell 2.1% in the region but was unchanged in the nation.

The regional resource sector’s output fell 0.5% in February, following a 1.3% gain in January. Nationally, resource output was 0.4% lower. Compared to February 2009, regional resource output was up 3.0%, while national resource output rose 3.9%.

“Three of the five subsectors of the regional resource sector — food, chemical, and nonmetallic production — decreased from January to February, while paper and wood production increased,” the Fed said.

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