Eurozone industrial output in unexpected June fall

[August 12, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- Industrial production in the 16 countries that use the euro unexpectedly fell in June, official figures showed Thursday, raising fears that economic growth in the eurozone may not be as high as anticipated.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said that industrial output fell 0.1 percent in June from the previous month. That sharply contrasts with the 1.1 percent gain recorded in May and disappoints market expectations for a 0.6 percent rise.

The main reason behind the monthly decline was 0.5 percent drop in Germany, the EU's economic powerhouse, and a sharp 1.6 percent decline in France, the eurozone's second-largest economy.

On an annual basis, Eurostat said the eurozone's industrial output was up 8.2 percent, down from May's 9.9 percent rate, and below market expectations for a more modest decline to 9.3 percent.

The figures are likely to dampen expectations of second quarter eurozone economic growth data due Friday. With consumption levels remaining subdued amid high unemployment and muted wage growth, overall growth is increasingly reliant on the industrial sector.

One of the reasons why the eurozone has rebounded from recession has been the strength of the industrial sector, particularly exports from Germany. Recent strong figures had ratcheted up expectations about Friday's figures -- the consensus in the markets is that eurozone economic output rose by a quarterly rate of 0.7 percent in the second quarter.

For the wider 27-nation EU, which includes non-euro members such as Britain and Sweden, industrial output during June was flat after May's 1.3 percent increase. On an annual basis, industrial output was up 7.7 percent, down from May's 9.2 percent rate.

[Associated Press]

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