In October 2009 compared with September 2009, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index fell by 2.2%. In September the index rose by 1.7%. In the EU27 new orders declined by 1.6% in October 2009, after an increase of 1.4% in September. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders fell by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27.

In October 2009 compared with October 2008, industrial new orders decreased by 14.5% in the euro area and by 14.1% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment dropped by 14.4% and 14.1% respectively.

Monthly changes

In October 2009 compared with September 2009, new orders for intermediate goods increased by 1.5% in the euro area and by 1.0% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods rose by 0.6% in the euro area, but fell by 1.7% in the EU27. Non-durable consumer goods remained stable in the euro area, but declined by 1.4% in the EU27. Capital goods dropped by 4.6% and 1.8% respectively.

Among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in ten and fell in thirteen. The highest increases were registered in Hungary (+7.4%), Slovenia (+5.1%) and Latvia (+4.4%), and the largest decreases in Denmark (-14.8%), Ireland (-14.2%) and France (-9.2%).

Annual changes

In October 2009 compared with October 2008, new orders for non-durable consumer goods fell by 6.4% in the euro area and by 5.9% in the EU27. Durable consumer goods declined by 14.2% and 9.5% respectively. Capital goods dropped by 15.0% in the euro area and by 15.4% in the EU27. Intermediate goods decreased by 16.4% and 15.4% respectively.

Total manufacturing working on orders fell in all Member States for which data are available. The largest falls were registered in Lithuania (-35.2%), Estonia (-33.6%) and Greece (-27.4%), and the lowest in Slovenia (-3.0%), Slovakia (-8.7%) and the United Kingdom (-8.8%).