France: Industrial output declines again in April
Industrial production contracted further in March, from a 0.4% month-on-month contraction to a 0.5% decrease in April. April’s decline reflected a 5.8% drop in the mining and quarrying, energy, water supply, and waste management sector (March: -4.3% month-on-month). The contraction in this component more than offset a 2.9% expansion in construction (March: -2.3% mom) and a 0.4% increase in the manufacturing sector (March: +0.3% mom).
In annual terms, growth in industrial output edged up from a revised 1.9% increase (previously reported: +1.8% year-on-year) in March to a 2.1% rise in April. Meanwhile, annual average growth in industrial production rose from 2.7% in March to 3.0% in April.