The manufacturing and extractive industries index, excluding crude oil and petroleum products, experienced a 5.44% decrease, settling at 92.85 in January 2024. This is a drop from December 2023's final figure of 98.20. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) has released this preliminary data. Since January 2020, CAPMAS has been utilizing a revised index methodology based on the base year of 2012/2013. This update aligns with the main indices of industrial activity as outlined in the Industrial Activity Manual (ISIC Rev.4) and incorporates the monthly index for producer prices based on the same base year. Specific sectors saw varied trends in January 2024. The manufacture of beverages surged to 225.74, marking a 23.48% increase from December 2023's 182.81, driven by market demands. Similarly, the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products rose to 78.76, a 5.17% increase from the previous month's 74.89. Conversely, the manufacture of electrical equipment faced a downturn, dropping to 106.39—a 16.60% decrease from December 2023's 127.56. This decline was attributed to a shortage of essential raw materials. Additionally, the manufacture of basic metals decreased to 52.48, a 12.95% reduction from 60.29 in the preceding month, also influenced by market demands.
