Euro zone industrial production decreased by more than expected in February after a strong January.
Production was depressed mainly by lower output of non-durable goods such as clothes or food, the European Union statistics office said today.
Industrial production in the euro zone was 0.8% lower in February than in January, a slightly greater decline than the 0.7% average forecast in a Reuters poll of economists.
Year-on-year, euro zone industrial production rose by 0.8%, below the average market expectation of a 1.2%increase.
Eurostat also revised down the monthly output figure for January to 1.9% from 2.1%, although the year-on-year number went up to 2.9% from 2.8%.
Euro zone February monthly output decreased mostly because of a sharp fall of production of non-durable goods, which dropped 1.8%, after having seen a surge in production of 2.9% in January.
Energy output also fell by 1.2% in February, production of durable consumer goods, such as fridges, decreased by 0.4% and output of capital goods, such a machinery, declined by 0.3%.
All major economies of the euro zone saw a drop in their monthly output, in Germany by 0.7%, France 1% and Italy by 0.6%.
