But erratic orders push down monthly figure
Industrial orders in both the eurozone and the EU25 were strongly up year on year in January, although on a monthly basis erratic orders meant that there was a sharp fall.
The euro-zone industrial new orders index fell by 5.9% month on month in January 2006 compared to December 2005, after rises of 5.3% in December and 4.9% in November, according to the latest figures released by the EU statistical service Eurostat.
At the same time, EU25 new orders decreased by 3.8% in January 2006, after increases of 5.8% in December and 3.5% in November.
Eurostat notes that the sharp drop was “strongly influenced by erratic orders for heavy transport equipment”.
When ships, railway and aerospace equipment are excluded, industrial new orders grew by 0.2% in January 2006 in the euro-zone and by 2.3% in the EU25.
The picture compared with the year-earlier period is a strong one, however.
In January 2006 compared to January 2005, industrial new orders increased by 9.7% in the euro-zone and by 11.1% in the EU25. Total industry excluding ships, railway and aerospace equipment increased by 10.7% in the euro-zone and by 12.9% in the EU25.
Monthly changes by subsector
Machinery and equipment increased by 1.9% month on month in the euro-zone and 3.4% in the EU25 in January.
Manufacturing of basic metals and fabricated metal products gained 0.9% and 0.8% respectively.
Chemicals and chemical products fell by 0.3% in the euro-zone, but grew by 0.2% in the EU25.
Electrical and electronic equipment decreased by 0.9% in the euro-zone, but rose by 0.1% in the EU25.
Manufacturing of textiles and textile products fell by 1.6% in both zones, and transport equipment decreased by 14.4% in the euro-zone and by 8.7% in the EU25.
In January 2006, and among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in ten Member States and fell in six. The highest rises were recorded in Hungary (+35.9%), Poland (+32.4%), Sweden (+6.3%), Ireland and the Czech Republic (both +4.0%).
The largest decreases were registered in France (-15.1%), Portugal (-12.6%), Latvia (-3.0%) and Belgium (-1.5%).
Annual changes by subsector
Basic metals and fabricated metal products gained 12.5% year on year in the eurozone and 11.9% in the EU25 in January.
Transport equipment grew by 11.2% and 20.0% respectively.
Machinery and equipment rose by 10.8% in the euro-zone and by 12.8% in the EU25.
Manufacturing of textiles and textile products grew by 9.4% and 7.5% respectively.
Electrical and electronic equipment increased by 9.0% in the eurozone and by 8.7% in the EU25.
Manufacturing of chemicals and chemical products rose by 7.1% and 7.0% respectively.
In January 2006, and among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in fourteen Member States and fell in two.
The highest increases were registered in Poland (+97.8%), Denmark (+25.0%), Estonia (+24.4%) and Hungary (+22.8%). The only decreases were recorded in Latvia (-8.7%) and Slovakia (-0.7%).
