Industrial production down by 1.1% in euro area and EU28

The FINANCIAL — In May 2014 compared with April 2014, seasonally adjusted industrial production1 fell by 1.1% in both the euro area2 (EA18) and the EU282, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In April 20143 industrial production rose by 0.7% in both zones.

In May 2014 compared with May 20134, industrial production grew by 0.5% in the euro area and by 1.1% in the EU28.

Monthly comparison by main industrial grouping and by Member State
The decrease of 1.1% in industrial production in the euro area in May 2014, compared with April 2014, is due to production of intermediate goods falling by 2.4%, non-durable consumer goods by 2.2%, durable consumer goods by 1.8% and capital goods by 0.5%, while energy increased by 3.0%, according to Eurostat.

In the EU28, the decrease of 1.1% is due to intermediate goods falling by 2.1%, non-durable consumer goods by 1.8%, durable consumer goods by 1.6% and capital goods by 1.0%, while energy increased by 2.2%.

The largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Portugal (-3.6%), Sweden (-3.2%) and Denmark (-2.1%), and the highest increases in Romania (+2.6%), Lithuania (+1.6%) and the Netherlands (+1.1%), according to Eurostat.

Annual comparison by main industrial grouping and by Member State
The increase of 0.5% in industrial production in the euro area in May 2014, compared with May 2013, is due to production of capital goods rising by 1.5%, non-durable consumer goods by 1.4% and intermediate goods by 0.4%, while durable consumer goods fell by 0.3% and energy by 3.1%, according to Eurostat.

In the EU28, the increase of 1.1% is due to production of capital goods rising by 2.2%, both intermediate goods and non-durable consumer goods by 1.4%, and durable consumer goods by 0.7%, while energy fell by 2.9%.

The highest increases in industrial production were registered in Romania (+15.0%), Lithuania (+10.2%) and Hungary (+9.5%), and the largest decreases in Malta (-11.9%), France (-4.2%) and Finland (-2.9%), according to Eurostat.