Arlington, VA--February 24, 2004-- A recent report from Arlington, Va.-based trade and education group, Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI, analyzes and documents a turnaround in a substantial number of industrial sectors.

The group's Quarterly Industrial Outlook shows that in the fourth quarter of 2003, 21 of 27 analyzed industries had inflation-adjusted new orders or production above the level of one year ago, up significantly from 14 industries in the third quarter of 2003 and 10 industries in the second quarter of 2003.

Top performers in Industry reporting double-digit growth were semiconductors, housing, electronic computer equipment and construction machinery.

According to the group's chief economist and author of the analysis, “The two missing pieces that are necessary for a sustained industrial recovery are coming back, exports and business equipment investment,”

The quarterly report was initiated in 1991, and for the first time, the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI offers forecasts for industries that comprise a major portion of the industrial economy.

In terms of 2004, The Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI economist sees double-digit growth in computers (11 percent) and industrial machinery (10 percent); moderately strong growth in construction machinery (8 percent), iron and steel products (7 percent), communication equipment (7 percent) and electronics (6 percent).

The only industries that are expected to decline in 2004, are mining, oil field, and gas machinery production, and aerospace products and parts production, each retrenching 1 percent.

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