Factories and refineries in the euro zone cut production faster than expected in March, according to the latest official EU data.
Industrial output in the euro zone eased 0.2% in March from February but was up 2% over the same month in 2007, the European Union's Eurostat data agency said.
The result, which was adjusted for seasonal variations, fell short of economists' forecasts for production to ease 0.1% over one month and to increase by 2.4% from March 2007.
It also marked a slowdown from February when new orders grew 0.3% over one month and 3.2% over one year, Eurostat said.
Weaker output of durable and non-durable consumer goods, as well as goods companies use to make other products, weighed on overall industrial production, the data showed.
In the 27-nation EU as a whole, industrial output eased 0.1% over one month in March and increased 1.8% over one year.
