Industrial production increased 0.9% in January after decreasing 0.7% in December. A storm late in the month likely held down production in January by a small amount. The index for utilities jumped 5.4%; demand for heating moved up markedly after having been suppressed by unseasonably warm weather in December. Manufacturing output increased 0.5% in January and was 1.2% above its year-earlier level.
Mining production was unchanged following four months with declines that averaged about 1 1/2 percent per month. At 106.8 percent of its 2012 average, total industrial production in January was 0.7% below its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization for the industrial sector increased 0.7 percentage point in January to 77.1%, a rate that is 2.9 percentage points below its long-run (1972–2015) average.
Euro is currently being traded few points above 1.1120 level, Sterling is around 1.4280 handle, while Aussie is around 0.7110 area. Later today,
FOMC Meeting Minutes will be published.