European Industrial Production Falls In March

Seasonally adjusted figures for industrial production for March 2011 compared with February 2011 for the euro area fell by 0.1% and by 0.3% in the EU27. Production increased by 0.6% and 0.4% respectively in February.

Production of durable consumer goods grew by 0.1% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27. Non-durables decreased by 0.7% and 0.8% respectively. Intermediate goods were stable in the euro area and increased by 0.1% in the EU27. Energy production fell by 0.7% in the euro area and 1.4% in the EU27. Capital goods fell by 0.9% and 1.1% respectively. Industrial production fell in eleven of the countries for which data is available and grew in nine.

In March 2011 compared with March 2010 capital goods grew by 10.5% in the euro area and 10% in the EU27 Durables grew by 2.4% and 1.3% respectively and non-durables fell by 0.6% in both groups. There was a decline in energy production of 2.2% in the euro area and 3.2% in the EU 27. The data availbale shows that between March 2010 and March 2011 industrial production grew in fourteen countries and fell in six countries. The largest growth was in Estonia with 32.7% and the biggest fall was in Greece with 7.5%.