19 July 2006


The Web
Business Today



Industrial production up by 1.6% in euro area

Seasonally adjusted industrial production rose by 1.6% in the euro area in May 2006 compared to April. Production fell by 0.7% in April and rose by 0.8% in March. Output in the EU25 gained 1.2% in May, after a decrease of 0.2% in April and an increase of 0.6% in March.
In May 2006 compared to May 2005, industrial production rose by 4.9% in the euro area and by 4.7% in the EU25.
These estimates were released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.
In May 2006 compared to April 2006 production of durable consumer goods increased by 4.2% in the euro area and by 3.0% in the EU25. Capital goods grew by 2.5% and 2.1% respectively. Intermediate goods gained 2.0% in the euro area and 1.5% in the EU25. Non-durable consumer goods rose by 1.1% in both areas. Production of energy fell by 1.7% in the euro area and by 0.9% in the EU25.
In May 2006, and among the Member States for which data are available, industrial production rose in nineteen Member States, fell in two and remained stable in Latvia. The highest increases were registered in Lithuania (+7.4%), Portugal (+5.0%), Denmark (+4.0%) and the Czech Republic (+3.9%), while decreases were recorded in Luxembourg (-7.0%) and the Netherlands (-2.1%).
In May 2006 compared to May 2005, durable consumer goods rose by 7.6% in the euro area and by 8.3% in the EU25. Capital goods grew by 7.0% and 7.4% respectively. Intermediate goods increased by 6.0% in the euro area and by 5.7% in the EU25.
Non-durable consumer goods gained 3.0% and 2.9% respectively. Production of energy decreased by 0.5% in the euro area and by 1.9% in the EU25.
In May 2006, and among the Member States for which data are available, industrial production rose in nineteen Member States and fell in three. The highest increases were registered in Poland (+16.8%), Finland (+15.4%), Lithuania (+14.8%) and the Czech Republic (+13.8%), while decreases were registered in Luxembourg (-4.4%), the United Kingdom (-0.4%) and the Netherlands (-0.3%).



Business Today is published weekly on Wednesdays.
Website is updated weekly on Thursdays
Copyright © MediaToday., Malta
Managing Editor - Saviour Balzan
Editor: Kurt Sansone
Business Today, MediaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann
Tel: (356) 2138 2741 | Fax: (356) 2138 5075 | E-mail