Brussels, 23/03/2009 (Agence Europe) -According to estimates published by Eurostat on Friday 20 March, seasonally-adjusted industrial production fell by 3.5% in the eurozone and 2.9% in the EU as a whole in January 2009 compared to December 2008. The production of non-durable consumer goods fell by 1.1% in the eurozone and by 0.3% in the EU. Energy production fell by 1.6% and 0.4% respectively. Durable consumer goods dropped by 2.6% in the eurozone and 1.8% in the EU. Intermediates were down by 3.6% and 3.4% respectively. Investment goods decreased by 6.0% in the eurozone and by 5.7% in the EU. Industrial production fell in 14 member states, growing only in Ireland (+ 6.7%) and in Hungary (+ 2.5%). The sharpest falls were noted in Latvia (-11.2%), Portugal (-9.8%) and in Germany (-7.5%). In December 2008, production was down by 2.7% in both the eurozone and the EU as a whole.
Taken annually (January 2009/January 2008), figures released by Eurostat reflect the scale of the economic and financial crisis. Over this period, industrial production has dropped by 17.3% in the eurozone and by 16.3% in the EU. Energy production was down 2.9% in the eurozone and 4.4% in the EU. Non-durable consumer goods were down by 4.9% and 4.0% respectively, with durable consumer goods down by 18.0% in the eurozone and 18.3% in the EU. Investment goods decreased by 21.4% and 21.1% respectively. Intermediates dropped by 24.4% in the eurozone and 23.7% in the EU. The largest decreases were observed in Estonia (-26.8%), Latvia (-23.9%), Sweden (-21.1%) and in Hungary (-21.0%), and the lowest in Ireland (-0.8%), Lithuania (-4.7%) and in Denmark (-9.6%). (O.L./transl.fl)