EU's industrial output slips in February: Eurostat

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - The EU's seasonally adjusted industrial production dropped 0.7 percent month-on-month in February, according to Eurostat data released Thursday.

Industrial output in the eurozone (EU19) also saw a monthly decrease of 0.8 percent during the same period.

The decrease in the EU was stemmed from a fall in capital goods production (2.7 percent), durable consumer goods (1.6 percent), intermediate goods (1 percent) and non-durable consumer goods (0.4 percent).

Energy production in the EU was up 5.1 percent in February, compared to January.

"Among member states for which data are available, the largest decreases in industrial production were registered in Lithuania (3.9 percent ), Estonia (2.7 percent), Malta and Portugal (both 2.3 percent), and the highest increases in Latvia and the Netherlands (both 3.9 percent), and Croatia (2.1percent)."

However, on a yearly basis data showed a rise in both the EU and the eurozone.

"In February 2018 compared with February 2017, industrial production increased by 2.9 percent in the euro area and by 3.1 percent in the EU28," Eurostat said.