Production Down Across Europe In May

Seasonally adjusted figures for industrial production fell by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU27 compared with April according to Eurostat. Production had increased in April by 0.5% and 0.3% respectively.

The production of consumer durables decreased by 2.3% in the euro area and 2.1% in the EU27. Capital goods decreased by by 1.5% and 1.9% respectively and intermediate goods by 0.4% and 0.2% respectively. Energy rose by 0.1% in the euro area and fell by 0.3% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 0.6% in the euro area and fell by 0.1% in the EU27.

Nationally, the largest decreases were in Romania (-10.7%), Lithuania (-6.3%) and Sweden (-3.8%). Portugal (6.1%), Latvia (2.2%) and Estonia (2%) saw the largest increases.

Industrial Production Is Down 0.4% In Europe

Industrial production fell in both the euro area and the EU27 in January by 0.4% in both zones. In December they both grew.

Durable consumer goods production fell by 1.4% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU27 in January 2013 compared with December 2012. Non-durables invcreased by 0.9% and 1.3% respectively. Capital goods fell by 1.2% in both zones. Intermediate goods production grew by 0.1% in the euro area but fell by 0.1% in the EU27. Energy production decreased by 1% in the euro area and by 1.2% in the EU27.

The data available tells us that in Jnuary compared with December industrial production rose in nine countries and fell in nine. The highest increases were in Lithuania and Denmark and the largest decreases were in Finland and Luxembourg.

The annual comparison shows that production of durables fell by 5.5% in the euro area and 4.3% in the EU27. Production of non-durables increased by 3.1% and 2.2% respectively. Capital goods fell by 2.6% in both zones and energy production increased by 0.9% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27. Intermediate goods production fell by 3.1% and 3.4% respectively.

The largest increases over the year were in Bulgaria and Lithuania and the decreases were in Sweden and Finland. There were increases in seven countries and decreases in eleven.

Europe Increased Production In August

Industrial production in Europe increased by 0.6% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27 in August compared with July according to a statistical bulletin from Eurostat. When comparing August 2012 with August 2011 industrial production fell by 2.9% in the euro area and 1.8% in the EU27. The highest increases were in Portugal (6.8%), Lithuania (4.6%), Slovenia (4%) and Greece (2.5%). The largest decreases were in Czech Republic (-2.9%), Denmark (-2.8% and Romania and Finland (both -1.1%).

Retail Sales Down 0.4% In Euro Area

Euro area retail trade fell by 0.4% in terms of volume in December 2011 compared with November while it grew by 0.3% in the EU27 over the same period. Food, drinks and tobacco fell by 0.2% in the euro area and grew by 0.3% in the EU27. Non-food sector categories grew by 0.3% in the EU27 but fell by 0.1% in the euro area.

Total retail trade fell in eleven states and grew in eight states remaining stable in Ireland and Sweden. The highest increases were in Portugal (2.2%), Belgium (1.5%) and Poland (0.7%) and the biggest decreases were in Malta and Slovenia (both -3.1%) and Latvia (-2%).

The annual comparison shows that in December 2011 compared with December 2010 the food, drinks and tobacco sector fell by 1.3% in the euro area and 0.6% in the EU27 and the non-food sector decreased by 1.5% in the euro area but grew by 0.8% in the EU27. The total retail sales index for the EU27 shows growth of 0.1% but in the euro area a fall of 1.6%.

Trade fell in ten states but rose in eleven. The largest increases were in Lithuania (13%), Latvia (7.1%) and the UK (6.3%). The biggest falls in trade were recorded in Portugal (-8.8%), Spain (-5.3%) and Slovakia (-3.3%) (Eurostat).

Producer Prices Up In Europe

The industrial producer prices index by Eurostat increased by 0.2% in the euro area in November 2011 and by 0.3% in the EU27 compared with October. When compared with November 2010 the index went up by 5.3% in the euro area and by 6.3% in the EU27.

Total industry prices excluding energy fell by 0.1% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27 in the monthly comparison. Energy prices increased by 0.9% and 0.1% respectively. Non-durable consumer goods increased by 0.3% in both areas and durables by 0.2%. Intermediate goods fell by 0.4% and 0.3% respectively and capital goods remained stable.

In the annual comparison total industry prices increased by 3% in the euro area and by 3.3% in the EU27. Energy prices increased by 12.3% and 13.8% respectively. Prices in the non-durable goods sector increased by 3.6% in the euro area and 4.2% in the EU27, intermediate goods by 3.5% and 3.8% respectively, durables by 2.6% in both zones and capital goods by 1.4% in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU27.

Sweden reported the largest increases on the monthly comparison with 1.6%, followed by the UK, Ireland and Greece. Using the annual comparison, the greates increases were in the UK with 11.6% followed by Lithuania (10.8%) and Latvia (9.1%).

September Retail Trade Down In Europe

The volume of retail trade in Europe fell in both the euro zone and the EU in general in September when compared with August 2011. The year on year retail sales index also fell in both areas.

Volume fell by 0.7% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27 during the month between August and September. The non-food sector fell by 0.8% in the euro area and 0.9% in the EU while food, drink and tobacco remained unchanged in the euro area and rose by 0.1% in the EU27. The total retail trade index fell in 11 of the member states and rose in 8. The highest decreases were in Portugal (-3.7%), Slovenia (-2.1%) and Spain (-1.7%) and the largest increases were in Poland (2.4%), UK (1%) and Latvia (0.9%).

The index fell by 1.5% in the euro area and 0.8% in the EU27 when comparing 2010 and 2011. The food category fell by 0.5% in the euro area and 0.4% in the EU as a whole. The non-food sector fell by 1.9% and 0.8% respectively. The highest decreases were in Malta (-7.5%), Portugal (-6.2%) and Spain (-5.8%). The highest increases were in Lithuania (10.6%), Luxembourg (8.3%) and Latvia (8.1%).

Volume Of Retail Trade In Europe

The volume of retail trade in May compared to April 2010 increased by 0.2% in the euro area and 0.4% in the EU27. The May 2010 on May 2009 volume increased by 0.3% and 0.5% respectively.

In May 2010 compared to April 2010, food, drink and tobacco went up 0.2% in the euro area and 0.3% in EU27, non-food increased 0.4% and 0.5% respectively. The greatest increases were in Denmark, Poland and Estonia and the greatest decreases in Malta and Portugal.

Over the year from May 2009 to May 2010 food, drnk and tobacco increrased 0.3% in the euro area and 0.2% in the EU27 and non-food 1% and 1.9% respectively. The highest increases were in France, Sweden and UK and the greatest decreases were in Lithuania, Bulagaria and Latvia.

2.1% Rise In Euro Labour Costs

Euro area hourly labour costs rose by 2.1% in the year to Q1 2010. In the EU27 the rise was 2.2%. Wages and salaries per hour grew by 2% and the non-wage component by 2.1%. In the EU27 wages and salaries rose by 2.3% and the non-wage component by 1.9%. Statistics from Eurostat Labour Cost Index (LCI) euroindicators.

In the euro area, labour costs per hour in industry increase was 1.8%, in construction 2.1% and in services 2.2% in the year to Q1 2010. In the EU27 labour costs per hour grew by 1.8% in industry, 1.4% in construction and 2.5% in services.

The highest annual increases were in Bulgaria (10.5%) and Romania (7.4%). The highest decreases were in Lithuania (-11%), Latvia (-7.2%), Estonia (5.5%) and the Czech Republic (-3.1%).

Production In Europe Increased In April

Indicators from Eurostat tell us that in April 2010 industrial production in the euro area was up by 0.8% and by 0.5% in the EU27 compared with March 2010. Other monthly comparisons include the production of capital goods which increased by 1.1% in the euro area and 0.7% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods fell by 0.1% in the euro area but increased by 0.4% in the EU27. Non-durables fell by 1.2% and 1.6%. Intermediate goods grew by 2.2% and 2.7% respectively but energy fell by 0.9% and 0.2%. Industrial production rose in 12 and fell in 9 of the countries for which data is available. The highest increases were in Lithuania with 6%, Estonia 2.4% and Denmark with 2.2%. Ireland registered the biggest decrease with 10.9%, Portugal's production fell by 4.4% and Greece by 3.4%.

Annual comparisons suggest that in April 2010 compared with April 2009 industrial production increased by 9.5% in the euro area and 7.8% in the EU27. Intermediate goods made the biggest contribution with growth of 16% in the euro area and 14.1% in the EU27. Capital goods increased by 8.9% in the euro area and 7.9% in the EU27. Energy production rose by 6.9% and 5% respectively. Production of non-durable consumer goods went up by 3% in the euro area and 1.1% in the EU27 and of durables by 1.4% and 4.1% respectively. On a national level industrial production rose in 18 of the member states for which data is available. The highest increases were in Estonia (18.3%), the Netherlands (14.7%) and Germany (13.9%). The only states in which industrial production fell were Greece (-6.4%), Ireland (-2.8%) and Bulgaria (-2.6%).

Retail Volumes Fall By 1.2% In Europe

The volume of retail trade in both the euro area and the EU27 decreased by 1.2% in April 2010 compared with March 2010. The retail sales index for April 2010 compared with April 2009 was 1.5% in the euro area and 1.6% in the EU27.

The food sector in the euro area fell by 1.1% and 1.4% in the EU27 over the month to April 2010 and the non-food sector by 1.1% and 1.2% respectively. Total retail trade fell in 14 countries and rose in 5 given the data available. The biggest falls were in Poland -8.7%, Denmark -8.6%, Slovakia -3.6% and Spain -2.1%. The highest risers were Belgium with 1.8% and Germany with 1%.

Over the last year from April 2009 to April 2010 the food sector fell by 1.8% in the euro area and 2.7% in the EU27 and non-food fell by 1.1% in the euro area but rose slightly by 0.1% in the EU27. Given the national data available, among the member states, the index fell in 15 countries and rose in 4. Bulgaria and Lithuania both fell 11.7%, Denmark -8.3% and Latvia fell 7.7%. Malta's index rose by 8.7% and Belgium's by 0.7%. Statistics from Eurostat.