The Index of Manufacturing—excluding crude oil and petroleum products—registered 123.04 points during January 2017, compared to 128.80 points in December 2016, marking a decrease of 4.5% month-on-month (m-o-m). The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) issued its monthly metadata on the production index of manufacturing and extractive industries in January 2017. The report noted that the total index for the manufacture of beverages reached 139.37 during January 2017, up from 63.79 in December 2016, an increase of 118.5% m-o-m. CAPMAS attributed the increase to supply contracts and a new production line in the industry. Moreover, the total index of manufacture of chemicals and chemical products reached 184.15 during January 2017, compared to 169.46 during December 2016—an increase of 8.7 %—on the back of preparations for the requirements of the agricultural summer season, covering the needs of the rest of the winter season, and the availability of raw materials with the beginning of the year. CAPMAS added that the total index of manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, reached 107.51 during January 2017, compared to 183.32 during December 2016—a decrease of 41.4 %—due to weak orders and non-availability of raw materials. Finally, the total index of manufacture of computer, electronic, and optical products reached 103.25 during January 2017, compared to 172.18 during December 2016—a decrease of 40.0%—due to lack of appetite for buying as prices hiked.
