Brussels, 25/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - Between March and April 2004, the euro-zone industrial new orders index increased by 1.8%, and the equivalent index rose by 1.9% in the EU25. Between April 2003 and April 2004, the index rose b 6% in the eurozone and 6.8% in the EU25. In April 2004 compared with April 2003, basic metals and fabricated metal products increased by 14.2% in the euro-zone and by 15.1% in the EU25. Manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment gained 7.7% and 9.5% respectively. Machinery and equipment rose by 6.8% in the euro-zone and by 7.1% in the EU25. Transport equipment grew by 3.6% and 4.5% respectively. Chemicals and chemical products increased by 2.3% in the euro-zone and by 2.5% in the EU25. Textiles and textile products fell by 1.7% in the euro-zone and by 1.3% in the EU25. In April 2004, as compared to the previous month, electrical and electronic equipment rose by 4.3% in the euro-zone and by 4.4% in the EU25. Manufacturing of basic metals and fabricated metal products gained 1.8% and 2.4% respectively. Chemicals and chemical products grew by 1.5% in the euro-zone and by 2.1% in the EU25. Transport equipment declined by 0.6% and 0.5% respectively. Machinery and equipment fell by 2.4% in the euro-zone and by 2.8% in the EU25. Manufacturing of textiles and textile products decreased by 4.4% and 3.9% respectively. In April 2004, total manufacturing working on orders rose in seven Member States and fell in four. The highest increases were registered in Lithuania (+11.1%), Denmark (+6.0%), Germany (+2.9%) and Slovakia (+2.4%) and the only decreases were observed in Portugal (-6.8%), Sweden (-5.1%), Belgium (-2.7%) and France (-0.8%). In terms of annual changes, in April 2004 no decreases were reported. The largest increases were reported in Lithuania (+108.6%), the Czech Republic (+22.9%) and Slovakia (+19.1%).