In March 2009 compared with February 2009, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index fell by 0.8%. In February the index remained unchanged. In the EU27 new orders declined by 0.7% in March 2009, after dropping by 1.2% in February. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment4, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders decreased by 0.2% in the euro area and by 0.1% in the EU27.

In March 2009 compared with March 2008, industrial new orders decreased by 26.9% in the euro area and by 25.5% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment dropped by 26.6% in the euro area and by 24.9% in the EU27.

Monthly changes

In March 2009 compared with February 2009, new orders for intermediate goods fell by 1.6% in the euro area and by 1.5% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods decreased by 1.8% and 0.5% respectively. Capital goods dropped by 2.1% in the euro area and by 0.2% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods declined by 2.5% in the euro area, but increased by 0.2% in the EU27.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in eight and fell in thirteen. The highest increases were registered in Denmark (+44.0%), Portugal (+25.6%) and Hungary (+19.9%), and the largest decreases in Lithuania (-8.2%), Slovenia (-7.6%) and Bulgaria (-7.1%).

Annual changes

In March 2009 compared with March 2008, new orders for non-durable consumer goods fell by 3.8% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods declined by 17.6% and 16.7% respectively. Capital goods decreased by 29.9% in the euro area and by 29.0% in the EU27. Intermediate goods dropped by 30.2% and 28.1% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders fell in nineteen and increased only in Denmark (+14.2%) and Portugal (+0.3%). The largest falls were registered in Slovenia (-43.4%), Bulgaria (-42.7%), Spain (-34.4%) and Lithuania (-34.2%).