BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s manufacturing production index (MPI) contracted for a ninth straight month in January, down 4.59% from a year earlier, hit by lower production of cars, sugar and palm oil, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.
The performance was worse than a forecast drop of 3.9% in a Reuters poll, and against December’s declined of 4.35%.
Capacity utilization in January was 66.48%, up from a revised 64.02% in December.
In 2019, the MPI declined 3.7%. The ministry has forecast it to rise 2% to 3% this year.
(Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
