Brussels, 12/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Compared with March 2008, industrial production in April 2008 grew by 0.9% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27. In March, production fell by 0.5% and 0.4% respectively. In April 2008, compared with April 2007, industrial production rose by 3.9% in the euro area and by 3.7% in the EU27.
In April 2008, compared with March 2008, production of capital goods increased by 2.0% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods grew by 1.7% and 1.5% respectively, and non-durable consumer goods gained 0.2% and 0.4%. Intermediate goods rose by 0.3% in the euro area, but fell by 0.4% in the EU27. Energy decreased by 1.4% in the euro area and by 0.6% in the EU27. Among the member states for which data are available, industrial production rose in seventeen, including Lithuania (12.7%), Denmark (7.3%) and Slovakia (5.2%). It fell in Ireland (-13.7%), Germany (-0.7%) and Sweden (-0.3%).
Over the year from April 2008 to April 2007, production of capital goods increased by 7.5% in the euro area and by 7.4% in the EU27. Energy grew by 5.8% and 4.8% respectively. Intermediate goods rose by 2.3% in the euro area and by 2.1% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods gained 1.0% and 2.3% respectively and non-durable consumer goods grew by 0.6% in both zones. Industrial production rose in seventeen member states, including Lithuania (15.7%), Poland (12.0%), Romania (11.0%) and the Netherlands (10.6%), and fell in Ireland (-1.0%), Estonia and Spain (both -0.2%). (A.B./transl.rt)