Did US Industrial Production Data Just Expose A Weak Spot In The AI Boom Narrative?

US Industrial production rose 0.1% MoM in August (better than the small 0.1% MoM decline expected) and a modest rebound from July’s weakness. YoY growth in production dipped to 0.9%…

Source: Bloomberg

On the Manufacturing side, data also surprised to the upside with a 0.2% MoM gain versus expectations of a 0.2% decline.

Source: Bloomberg

Mining output grew 0.9 percent in August after falling 1.5 percent in July.

In August, the index for utilities decreased 2.0 percent, as a 2.3 percent decline in the output of electric utilities more than offset a 0.2 percent increase in the output of natural gas utilities…

Source: Bloomberg

We have a question though… if AI is so successful (as proxied by the stock prices of AI companies), then why isn’t demand for electricity (from Utilities) soaring?

Source: Bloomberg

But,on the darker side of the ledger, Capacity Utilization continues to trend lower…

Source: Bloomberg

So much for the tariff terror’s impact on American manufacturing…