France: Industrial output rebounds in December
Industrial production expanded 0.5% in month-on-month terms in December, contrasting the revised 0.3% decrease observed in November (previously reported: -0.5% month-on-month). December’s print was supported by a broad-based expansion in all three main components of the index. Construction activity rebounded from a 0.2% month-on-month contraction in November to a 4.1% month-on-month increase in December, and the manufacturing component grew 0.3% in December (November: -0.8% month-on-month). December’s headline print significantly exceeded market analyst expectations of a 0.1% expansion.
In annual terms, growth in industrial production came in at 4.5% in December, a marked acceleration from November’s 2.5% increase. Meanwhile, annual average growth in industrial production edged up from 2.0% in November to 2.3% in December.