Source:Insee

10 JUNE 2011

INDUSTRIAL output picked up and rose to -0.3% month-on-month in April while manufacturing turned positive and climbed +0.2% as Capital Goods gap recorded the previous month improved to +0.8%. Nevertheless, overall momentum reflected signs of a slow down as Intermediate Goods output inched down to -0.3%. The production of Durable Consumer Goods fell -0.7% as feeble demand pushed down activities while by contrast Non Durable Consumer Goods grew +0.8% on the same period. 

Transport equipment and the automobile industry stayed in negative territory but improved substantially, respectively -0.1% and -2.2% allowing for the production of Capital Goods to surge.

Output of the Food and Agriculture Industry products rebounded +1.4% as commodity prices dip jump-started demand. The production of coke and refinery oil products dropped -7.5% due to more clement weather.

Output of electric-electronic equipment IT and machinery surged +1.4% thanks to IT products-electronic and optical equipment production index rise to +2.1%. Other industrial products output index edged up to -0.1% due to textile-clothing-leather and footwear +0.8% along with pharmaceutical products +0.6%. By contrast, the production of rubber-plastic and non mineral metallic products contracted and fell -1.2%. Output of metal and metallic products climbed to -0.2% due to a feeble auto industry's demand.

In one year, overall output rose +2.6% as manufacturing stayed sustained and climbed +4.4% for the second consecutive month although over two percentage points below the first two months of the year on an annual basis. With the exception of Non Durable Consumer Goods output up +3.1%, output indices decelerations were more marked for Intermediate Goods, up +5.4% and nearly half of January pace as well as Durable Consumer Goods +2.9%. Capital Goods +4.9% recorded its second such consecutive output index increase.