In March this year, as compared with the previous month, seasonally-adjusted industrial production fell by 0.3 percent in the euro area and by 0.4 percent in the EU-27. In February, production rose by 0.8 percent and 0.4 percent month on month respectively.
Meanwhile, in March of the current year compared with March 2011, seasonally-adjusted industrial production decreased by 2.2 percent in the euro area and by 1.9 percent in the EU-27. These figures are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
As compared to February, in March this year production of capital goods increased 1.1 percent in the euro area and by 0.9 percent in the EU-27, while intermediate goods rose by one percent in both zones. Meanwhile, durable consumer goods decreased by 0.2 percent in both zones.
Among the member states for which data are available, in March as compared to February industrial production rose in 12 states and fell in 11. The highest increases were registered in Slovenia (+6.3%), in Slovakia (+3.5%) and in Lithuania (+3.1%), while the largest decreases were in the Netherlands (-9%), Estonia (-3.4%), Denmark (-2.8%) and Ireland (-2.7%).
As compared to March 2011, in March this year production of capital goods grew by 2.3 percent in the euro area and by two percent in the EU-27, intermediate goods decreased by three percent in the euro area and by 2.3 percent in the EU-27, durable consumer goods fell by 6.7 percent in the euro area and by 5.5 percent in the EU-27, while production of energy dropped by 7.3 percent in the euro area and by 6.3 percent in the EU-27.
Among the member states for which data are available, in March this year as compared to March 2011 industrial production rose in eight states and fell in 15. The highest increases were registered in Slovakia (+12.1%), in Latvia (+8.5%) and in Lithuania (+5.9%), and the largest decreases were seen in Luxembourg (-11.3%), in Greece (-8.5%), in Spain (-7.5%), in Estonia and in Finland (both -6.1%) and in Italy (-5.8%).