Brussels, 14/05/2009 (Agence Europe) - In March 2009 compared with February 2009, seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 2% in the euro area and by 1.9% in the EU27. In March 2009 compared with March 2008, industrial production declined by 20.2% in the euro area and by 18.8% in the EU27, Eurostat points out.
In March 2009 compared with February 2009, production of capital goods fell by 0.5% in the euro area and by 1.3% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods decreased by 1.0% and 0.5% respectively. Durable consumer goods dropped by 2.5% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU27. Energy production declined by 2.8% and 3.1% respectively, while intermediate goods fell by 3.1% in the eurozone and by 2.7% in the EU27. Among the member states for which data are available, industrial production rose in five and fell in 14. The highest increases were registered in Portugal (+3.1%) and Finland (+2.2%), and the most significant falls in Luxembourg (-7.2%), Lithuania (-6.3%), Italy (-4.6%) and Spain (-3.5%).
In March 2009 compared with March 2008, production of non-durable consumer goods fell by 7.2% in the euro area and by 5.3% in the EU27. Energy decreased by 9.2% and 9.0% respectively. Durable consumer goods declined by 23.2% in the euro area and by 20.5% in the EU27. Capital goods dropped by 23.5% and 23.0% respectively. Intermediate goods fell by 27.0% in the euro area and by 25.6% in the EU27.
Industrial production fell in all member states for which data are available. The largest decreases were registered in Estonia (-29.7%), Luxembourg (-29.6%), Spain (-24.7%) and Italy (-23.8%), and the smallest in Greece (-5.8%), Portugal (-7.9%) and Poland (-10.0%). (A.B./transl.jl)