Source:Insee

24 MAY 2011

ORDER BOOKS record  their first break, -1.2% in March following the previous month surge with export order books mirroring a similar dip -1.1% while inversely, the Euro area's climbed to -0.2%. New orders of Capital Goods dropped -2%, while Intermediate Goods rebounded +1.2%. Durable Consumer Goods moved up to -4.8% while Non Durable Consumer Goods plunged threefold to -2.3%

The automobile industry new orders fell -3.1%, the group's second negative performance following January's winter disruptions taking the quarter to a negative -7.6%. Electric-electronic equipment-IT-machinery jumped to +0.2% (from the previous month abyssal -14.9%)  thanks to electronic equipment +3.4% leap and machinery and equipment stable performance.

Other industrial products saw new orders drop -0.9% despite clothing +20.2% rise ahead of the summer period, as new orders of pharmaceutical products performed inversely and decreased by 9.9% followed by paper-cardboard products -1.5% dip. Metal and metallic products (excluding machinery and equipment) followed in the auto industry's path and fell -1.1%.

Along the quarter, February's surge allowed for Intermediate Goods and Durable Consumer Goods to record their strongest performances, respectively +10.8% and +24.3% while Capital Goods more subdued +1.2% reflected more cyclical demand. Non Durable Consumer Goods -3.2% dip on the same period resulted from feeble consumer demand due mostly to a weak buying power as inflationary pressures pushed down consumption except on sales period.