The Industrial Activities in March and in the first Quarter 2012

1. Production Trend
(1) All industry
The Index of all industry production in March decreased by 2.1 percent from the
previous month. The Index of Wholesale & retail trade went up but Manufacturing and Public administration went down from the previous month.

The Index of all industry production in March decreased by 0.9 percent from the same period of the previous year. The Index of Financial & insurance activities and Construction went up but Manufacturing and Public administration went down from the same period of the previous year.

(2) Manufacturing
-Production
The Manufacturing Production Index in March decreased by 2.5 percent from the previous month and 3.0 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Shipment
The Producer's Shipment Index in March decreased by 1.8 percent from the previous month and 2.6 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Inventory
The Producer's Inventory Index in March decreased by 0.4 percent from the previous month but increased by 3.1 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Manufacturing Production Capacity and Operation Ratio
The Production Capacity Index in March showed no change from the previous month and increased by 1.0 percent from the same period of the previous year.

The Operation Ratio Index in March decreased by 2.4 percent from the previous month and 5.6 percent from the same period of the previous year.

The Manufacturing Average Operation Ratio in March marked 75.7 percent, which decreased by 1.9 percentage points from the previous month.

(3) Service Industry
The Index of Services in March decreased by 1.0 percent from the previous month but increased by 0.7 percent from the same period of the previous year.

2. Consumption Trend
The Retail Sales Index in March increased by 1.4 percent from the previous month and 1.7 percent from the same period of the previous year.

3. Investment Trend
-Equipment Investment and Domestic Machinery Shipment (Excluding Vessels)
The Equipment Investment Index in March decreased by 6.6 percent from the previous month and 9.2 percent from the same period of the previous year.

The Domestic Machinery Shipment Index in March decreased by 15.7 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Value of Domestic Machinery Orders Received (Excluding Vessels)
The value of Domestic Machinery Orders Received in March increased by 21.1 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Value of Construction Completed
In March, the value of Construction Completed at constant prices decreased by 3.0 percent from the previous month but increased by 3.2 percent from the same period of the previous year. The value of Construction Completed at current prices decreased by 2.7 percent from the previous month and 2.9 percent from the same period of the previous year.

-Value of Construction Orders Received
In March, the value of Construction Orders Received at current prices decreased by 24.1 percent from the same period of the previous year.

4. Composite Economic Indexes
-Composite Coincident Index
The Composite Coincident Index in March showed no change from the previous month.  The Cyclical Component of Composite Coincident Index, which reflects current economic situations, decreased by 0.4 points from the previous month.

-Composite Leading Index
The Composite Leading Index in March increased by 0.3 percent from the previous
month.  The Cyclical Component of Composite Leading Index, which predicts the turning point in business cycle, decreased by 0.2 points from the previous month.