In January 2008 compared with December 2007, the euro area (EA15) industrial new orders index grew by 2.0%. In December the index fell by 3.6%. In the EU27 new orders decreased by 1.0% in January 2008 and by 1.7% in December 2007. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment industrial new orders gained 1.3% in the euro area but lost 0.8% in the EU27.

In January 2008 compared with January 2007, industrial new orders increased by 7.3% in the euro area and by 6.7% in the EU27. Total industry excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment grew by 5.8% in the euro area and by 5.6% in the EU27. These estimates are released by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

Monthly changes

In January 2008 compared with December 2007, new orders for transport equipment rose by 6.2% in the euro area, but decreased by 4.0% in the EU27. Machinery & equipment grew by 2.4% in the euro area and by 4.6% in the EU27. Manufacturing of chemicals & chemical products increased by 1.0% and 1.9% respectively. Basic metals & fabricated metal products gained 0.9% in the euro area and 2.8% in the EU27. Textiles & textile products remained stable in the euro area and rose by 0.7% in the EU27. Electrical & electronic equipment decreased by 0.6% in the euro area and by 1.8% in the EU27.

In January 2008, among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in nine, fell in eight and remained stable in Hungary. The highest increases were recorded in Bulgaria (+8.8%), Ireland (+8.0%) and Sweden (+4.6%), and the largest decreases in Poland (-23.2%), Latvia (-15.1%) and Romania (-11.2%).

Annual changes

In January 2008 compared with January 2007, new orders for transport equipment increased by 14.7% in the euro area and by 13.4% in the EU27. Manufacturing of machinery & equipment grew by 8.3% and 9.3% respectively. Electrical & electronic equipment rose by 5.6% in the euro area and by 1.6% in the EU27. Chemicals & chemical products gained 5.2% in the euro area and 5.5% in the EU27. Basic metals & fabricated metal products increased by 4.9% and by 5.5% respectively. Textiles & textile products decreased by 0.3% in the euro area, but remained stable in the EU27.

In January 2008, among the Member States for which data are available, total manufacturing working on orders rose in fifteen and fell in three. The highest increases were registered in Lithuania (+19.2%), Estonia (+17.6%), Latvia (+13.2%) and Slovakia (+13.1%), while decreases were recorded in Ireland (-8.1%), Greece (-4.3%) and Hungary (-2.5%).