28 April 2017

2017- n° 118

In February 2017, the turnover recovered in the manufacturing industry (+1.7%) Turnover in industry and construction - February 2017

In February 2017, the turnover bounced back in the manufacturing industry (+1.7% after −3.3% in January). The turnover of export sales rose modestly (+0.4 %) after a very large decline in January (−9.0%).

In industry as a whole, the turnover recovered as well (+2.8% after −2.3%).

Over the last three months, the turnover rose steeply in the manufacturing industry (+1.5% compared to the previous three months) as well as in industry as a whole (+2.6%). It grew in most sectors of the manufacturing industry: “other manufacturing” (+1.0%), manufacture of transport equipment (+2.7%), manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+9.2%), machinery and equipment goods (+1.0%). It was steady in the manufacture of food products and beverages.

Over one year, the turnover of the last three months grew sharply in the manufacturing industry (+4.2%). The growth was even more marked in industry as a whole (+6.3%), thanks to a sharp increase in the mining and quarrying, energy, water supply, waste management sector (+16.1%). Over this period, the turnover rose in every main sector of the manufacturing industry. The increase was particulary strong in the manufacture of transport equipment (+11.7%) and the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (+21.6%). It was more moderate in the “other manufacturing” (+1.7%), the manufacture of food products and beverages (+1.8%) and the machinery and equipment industry (+1.6%).

The turnover in the manufacture of transport equipment recovered sharply in February 2017 (+7.1% after −18.1% in January). This rebound was due to the the manufacture of other transport equipment (+13.6% after −30.1%), while the manufacture of motor vehicles changed little on the last two months (+0.4% after −0.6%). The turnover of export sales recovered slightly (+1.8%) after a slump in January (−27.9%).

In February, the turnover in “other manufacturing” recovered (+0.7% after −0.7% in January). It bounced back especially in the manufacture of rubber, plastics, and other non-metallic mineral products (+3.4% after −2.1%). The turnover rose in the manufacture of basic metals and fabricated metal products (+0.3% after a stability) and in the manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (+1.1% after −0.8%). Conversely, it fell back in pharmaceuticals (−0.2% after +3.1%) and in manufacture of textiles, wearing apparel, leather and related products (−0.7% after +0.5%). In “other manufacturing”, the export sales recovered modestly (+0.9% after −0.2%).

In February, the turnover rose clearly again in the manufacture of food products and beverages (+1.0% after +1.1%), despite a downturn in export sales (−2.1% after +1.1%).

The turnover in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products rose sharply again in February (+3.3% after +2.9%).

The turnover in machinery and equipment fell back in February (−0.8% after +1.5%). It shrank sharply in the manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (−1.9% after +3.3%) and fell again in the manufacture of electrical equipment (−1.2% as in January). Conversely, it rose again a little in the manufacture of other machinery and equipment (+0.2% after +1.7%). In machinery and equipment, export sales for fell back slightly (−0.3% after +0.5%).

In the manufacturing industry, the variation in turnover is unchanged at −3.3% for January 2017. It has been raised by 0.6 points in industry as a whole, to −2.3% instead of −2.9% previously because of the integration of late information in the energy sector.