European Production Up 1.8%

Industrial production increased by 1.8% in the euro area between October and November 2013 according to a statistical bulletin from Eurostat. Production also increased across the EU as a whole with growth of 1.5% in the EU28. Production had decreased in October by 0.8% and 0.5% respectively. Ireland reported the biggest increase with 11.7%. There was monthly growth in all 5 sectors - capital goods, durable consumer goods, energy, non-durable consumer goods and intermediate goods.

There was an annual increase of 3% in both the euro area and the EU28 with the largest increases reported in Ireland with growth of 13.2% and Slovakia with 12.7%. Over the year capital goods increased by 4.4% in the euro area and 4.7% in the EU28. Intermediate goods grew by 3.3% and 3.5% respectively and non-durable goods grew by 3.1% and 2.7% respectively. Energy decreased by 0.5% in the euro area and 1.4% in the EU28 and durable consumer goods fell by 0.8% and 0.3% respectively.

Healthy Life Years To Go

Healthy life years measure the number of years a person can expect to live in a generally healthy condition. At birth, in 2011, men and women in the EU27 could expect to live to 62 years. At 50 people could expect to live another 18 years and at 65 people in Europe culd expect another 9 healthy years of life.

A healthy condition is defined as the absence of limitations to functioning/disability. It is measured by a self-perceived questionnaire asking for the extent of any limitations lasting for over 6 months and caused by a health problem. The indicator of healthy life years measures the number of years a person can expect to live without any serious health problems. It means the respondenets can carry on their usual activities.

At birth, men and women in Sweden and Malta can expect to live to over 70 years. The lowest numbers of healthy life years were 52 in Slovakia and 54 in Slovenia for both men and women. At 50 both women and men were expected to have more than another 20 years in Sweden, Malta and Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland and the UK. The lowest was Slovakia with 10 years for both men and women. At 65, highest healthy life years were in Sweden with an additional 15 years for women and 14 for men and the lowest Was Slovakia with 3 and 4 years respectively.

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).

An Increase In European Inflation In July

Euro area inflation (MUICP) was 1.7% in July 2010 comapred with 1.4% in June and EU annual inflation (EICP) was 2.1% compared with 1.9% in June. The lowest rates were in Ireland (-1.2%), Latvia (-0.7%) and Slovakia (1%) and the highest were in Romania (7.1%), Greece (5.5%) and Hungary (3.6%).

Shares Of Renewable Energy In Total Consumption

Renewable energy seems to have contributed 10.3% of gross final energy consumption in the EU27 in 2008. It compares with 9.7% in 2007 and 8.8% in 2006. Individual targets are set for all Member States by the 2009 Directive so that the EU will reach a target of 20% share of total energy consumption for renewable energy sources by 2020.

Renewable energy shares vary widely among Member States. Sweden had the highest share of renewable energy in total consumption in 2008 with 44.4%, Finland had 30.5%, Latvia had 29.9%, Austria 28.5% and Portugal had 23.2%. The lowest was Malta with 0.2%. The UK was third lowest with 2.2% of renewable energy in total consumption. All Member States increased their share of renewable energy in total consumption between 2006-8. The largest increases were in Austria from 24.8% to 28.5%, Estonia from 16.1% to 19.1%, Romania from 17.5% to 20.4%, Portugal from 20.5% to 23.2% and Slovakia from 6.2% to 8.4%.

Industrial PPI In May

The industrial PPI in the euro area went up in May 2010 compared to April by 0.3% and in the EU27 by 0.2%. Comparing May 2010 with May 2009 industrial PPI went up 3.1% in the euro area and 3.7% in the EU27.

In May compared with April 2010 total industry prices excluding energy went up by 0.4% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 0.8% in both zones. Consumer durables went up 0.2% in euro area and 0.3% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods (incl.fmcgs) went up by 0.1% in the euro area and 0.3% in the EU27. Capital goods went up 0.1% and 0.2%. Prices remained unchanged in the euro area but fell by 0.3% in the EU27. Hungary's index went up 3.4%

The industrial PPI (excl. energy) for May 2010 compared with May 2009 increased by 1.7% in the euro area and 1.8% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 3.9% and 3.8% respectively. Consumer durables went up 0.7% in euro area and 1% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods (incl.fmcgs) fell by 0.1% in the euro area and 0.2% in the EU27. Capital goods went up 0.2% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU27. Energy prices went up 7% in the euro area and 8.6% in the EU27. Malta's total index increased by 17%. There were decreases in Slovakia (-3.1%) and Latvia (-1.2%).

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.

Industrial Prices Increase Across Europe

The euro area industrial producer price index rose by 0.9% in April 2010 compared with March. The EU27 rose by 1%. Prices increased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27. Over the year to April 2010 industrial producer prices in the euro area went up by 2.8% and by 3.7% in he EU27.

Looking at the monthly statistics in sectors, total industry excluding energy increased by 0.5% in the euro area and 0.6% in the EU27. Energy prices rose by 1.9% and 1.7% respectively. Durables increased by 1% and 2%, non-durables by 0.1% and 0.2% respectively. Capital goods stayed to same in the euro area but increased by 0.2% in the EU27 and intermediate goods increased by 1.3% in both groups. Annual results show that total excluding energy increased by 1% and 1.1%. Energy prices rose by 7.7% and 10.2% respectively. Durables gained by 0.4% in the euro area and 0.7% in the EU27 and non-durables declined by 0.4% and 0.1% respectively. Capital goods fell by 0.1% in the euro area but rose by 0.1% in the EU27. Intermediate goods increased by 2.7% in the euro area and 2.6% in the EU27.

The were only two states in which decreases were seen, namely Latvia and Slovakia, both decreasing by 4.5%. Increases were recorded in all other states including Greece 9.1%, UK 8.5% and Malta on 16.7%.