France's manufacturing output in March was almost stable, increasing by just 0.1 percent month on month, after a 0.5 percent month-on-month decline in February, and was up two percent year on year, according to the statistics released by France's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE). In the first quarter of this year, France’s manufacturing output indicated a decrease of 1.8 percent compared to the previous quarter.
In March, France's production in manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, decreased by 0.4 percent compared to February, after a 0.4 percent growth month on month in February. In the January-March period, the country’s production in manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment, increased by 0.7 percent compared to the previous quarter.
On the other hand, in March production of France's motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry saw a increase of 0.5 percent on month-on-month basis after a 1.4 percent month-on-month decline recorded in the previous month, while the output of the domestic construction industry decreased by 2.7 percent month on month in the given month after a 2.8 percent growth in February compared to January. In the January-March period, output of the motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers industry declined by 2.8 percent and output of the domestic construction industry fell by 3.7 percent, both quarter on quarter.