Basque industrial activity did not fluctuate in March 2008

Industrial production in the A. C. of the Basque Country did not fluctuate in March 2008 as regards the same month of 2007 (0.0%), in homogenous terms of the working calendar, according to EUSTAT data.

Compared to the previous month, February 2008, industrial production in the A.C. of the Basque Country rose by 0.1%, once seasonal effects had been corrected.

Sector evolution

By sector, and following the classification of the major industrial sectors, the evolution of the index for March 2008 with regard to March 2007 shows growth for Energy (6.3%). Capital Goods dropped by 2.2%, Intermediate Goods by 0.9% and Consumer Goods decreased by 2.60%, as a result of the decrease suffered by Consumer Durable Goods (-12.2%) as Consumer Non-durable Goods grew by 1.3%.

Inter-monthly variations in February 2008, in relation to January 2007, were positive for the major sectors of Capital Goods (0.5% and Energy (1.4%). Consumer Goods remained stable (0.0%), as a result of the increase registered by Non-durable Consumer Goods (1.0%) and the decrease in Consumer Goods (2.5%) Intermediate Goods fell by 0.4% in comparison to last February.

Evolution by province

The pattern of inter-annual evolution of the Industrial Production Index by province was positive in Bizkaia, with 4.8%, while the indexes decreased in Álava and Gipuzkoa by 2.4% and 3.8%, respectively.

The inter-monthly growth rates, March 2008 in relation to February 2008, of the provinces showed differing patterns of evolution, growing by an inter-monthly 1.2% in Bizkaia and 0.2% in Gipuzkoa, but decreasing in Álava by 2.3%, over the same period.