Turkey's industrial capacity usage inches down

By Gokhan Ergocun

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish manufacturing industry's capacity utilization rate slipped slightly in February, the Turkish Central Bank said on Thursday.

The capacity utilization rate dropped 0.4 points to 77.8 percent in the month from 78.2 percent in January.

Data revealed the seasonally adjusted capacity utilization rate rose 0.1 points to 78.7 percent in February.

While the main industrial groupings -- food and beverages, durable, non-durable, consumer and investment goods -- saw a decline in capacity utilization during the same period, only intermediate goods closed the month up.

The figure was 78.5 percent on average last year.

The index saw its highest level in five years last November at 79.9 percent and the lowest in February 2013 at 73.5 percent.

The data are based on responses given to the Central Bank's Business Tendency Survey by over 2,100 companies operating in the manufacturing industry.