What percentage of total production capacity is being used, reported monthly by the Federal Reserve?

The percentage of total production capacity being used, reported monthly by the Federal Reserve, is the capacity utilization rate.

Capacity utilization compares actual output with the output an industry could produce if its facilities, equipment, and labor were used at a sustainable maximum. The Federal Reserve publishes the measure in its monthly Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization, or G.17, release.

The headline industrial measure covers manufacturing, mining, and electric and gas utilities. The underlying production and capacity indexes are combined into broader industry and market groups, allowing analysts to see whether unused capacity is concentrated in factories, mines, or utilities.

The rate is not the same as production efficiency. A plant may be technically efficient while operating below full capacity because demand is weak, maintenance is scheduled, or inputs are unavailable. Analysts also watch unusually high utilization because it can signal bottlenecks and pricing pressure, while persistently low utilization may indicate slack in the economy. Initial monthly estimates can later be revised.